Hello Friends,
This evening Congressman John P. Sarbanes held a Town Hall Meeting Teleconference on Healthcare Reform. This was another excellent way to get more information through specific questions from constituents about Congress' Healthcare Reform bill. As President stated, these Town Hall Meetings will be very helpful to you in better understanding the Public Healthcare Program and to put rumors and myths to rest. In the upcoming weeks, Congressman Sarbanes (Maryland) will hold another Town Hall Meeting and you are invited to participate.
In addition, Congressman Sarbanes publishes a newsletter known as the "Sarbanes Standard." To obtain a subscription to the Sarbanes Standard, please call (410) 832-8890 or visit Congressman Sarbanes website at
www.sarbanes.house.gov. Congressman Sarbanes is available to assist with issues involving Veterans and Social Security as well. Below is a summary of the questions and answers at tonight's Town Hall Meeting.
By all means, please share this information far and wide and especially in Congressman Sarbanes' Third District (Maryland). Have you attended a Town Hall Meeting on Healthcare Reform in your District?
The Town Hall Meeting began with Congressman Sarbanes explaining the difficult economic issues on healthcare and energy. Congressman announced there are steps for a new energy framework in the House that will result in new jobs and other benefits. Of course, Congressman Sarbanes explained that the main focus right now is on healthcare reform. Based on the majority of people he has heard from, people are just not happy with the current healthcare system which is the reason for ongoing processes for healthcare reform. The reform is focused in two ways:
1) The insurance side which is to push back on some of the current practices of healthcare insurers. This includes largely the issue of pre-existing conditions being denied by insurers. This practice prevents coverage of health issues when an employee changes jobs or when a healthcare insurer discovers some detail in your medical history. The worst thing that could happen to anybody is to be denied health insurance due to "pre-existing conditions."
2) The other side is to force healthcare insurers to play by the rules by creating a public option insurance program. This public option will provide choices for people to choose as they wish between private insurance or public insurance.
In addition, a public option will increase the workforce in the healthcare industry. For example, more physicians can be hired to staff hospitals or practice medicine. These measures create competition which will drive down the costs of healthcare.
Q: Why is there such a hurry to pass healthcare reform and considering how massive the healthcare reform bill is and the people it will affect?
A: While it may seem hurried, Congress is on track since before this August. However, Congress slowed healthcare reform down until the Fall for people to digest the bill and understand it because Congress recognizes how large a bill it is and its potential affects.
Congress cannot, however, stop this process. If the healthcare reform process is stopped, then healthcare insurers will use that as an opportunity to prevent healthcare reform. The balance is to slow it down enough to be digested and understood, yet fast enough to avoid sinking this necessary effort of healthcare reform in America. The need for healthcare reform is decades old and between the House and the Senate, there are 5 committees drafting language for healthcare reform. There has actually been a lot of deliberation and efforts such as this Town Hall Meeting seeking the public's input.
Q: There is concern that as employers downsize, the healthcare benefits of remaining employees are being cut. Can you pledge to vote only for a strong public option?
A: Whether a large or small employer, the healthcare proposal goes a long way toward both in cost of healthcare. We can have a system focused on cost and get cost of healthcare under control. A public option does this by being affordable and that is a critical and necessary factor.
Having a public option is just one choice. Setting up an Exchange that includes private insurers is a part of healthcare reform, too. The public option will be a non-profit plan without a lot of overhead which will result in affordability and competition and keep private insurers honest and costs down. I agree with President Obama about this.
There are four committee bills that will accomplish this and once it gets to the floor for debate, it is a very strong option because I hear from people and they are indeed fed up with the current healthcare system and quality healthcare is important, too, and necessary.
Q: There is expressed concern that a public option will drive out private insurers. Would you give up your private insurance for the public option?
A: If public option was the only choice, yes. Congressman Sarbanes expressed no fear about a public option. He cautioned that the closer healthcare reform is to passing, the more commercials will be aired by private insurers seeking to scare the public. He assured everyone that those commercials will be false.
Private insurers who are doing a good job with 85 percent of a premium dollar will be just fine with a public option which will have a less profit margin.
Private insurers who are currently not doing the right thing will be eliminated. They are spending 70 percent of the premium dollar on healthcare. What are they doing with the rest of that premium dollar (executive profits).
Congressman Sarbanes predicts that more plans will become more attractive with a competitive public option and the public option will not drive out other good private insurers so don't worry there will be enough choices for everyone. Also, the public option is just one small piece of healthcare reform. Other parts include incentives for physicians to practice, ability to staff hospitals and medical offices, medical school tuition reimbursements, etc.
Q: There is concern about the Cap and Trade Energy Bill. The impact will be negative and possible force major companies to move out of the country.
A: The new energy framework will create more jobs and incentives for companies to remain in the U.S. There will be transition costs, but there will be opportunities for creativity, new technology, and innovations within existing companies as well. Will there be increased costs associated with the Energy framework (i.e. pollution emission fees)? Distributing an initial set of allowances to companies at no costs is a component. This is because the average energy consumer needed a short-term buffer and that is included in the transition cost and is very modest and over the long run will be significantly reduced.
Q: What prevents insurers from charging high premiums to exclude certain health conditions?
A: One new rule to go in place will be for pre-existing conditions and it is a strict rule on how insurers' rates are set for health issues with limitations. An insurer cannot impose an increase in premium rates because of certain conditions. Insurance companies tried to convince us that it is needed, but with a pool of people including healthy persons, too, this is just not true and it will balance out.
Those insurers playing by the rules do ok. They may not be able to pay executives as much and they may have to cut down on benefit letters, but over time, there will be a reduction in cost of premiums and we need a system where everyone contributes and gets healthcare.
Q: How will a public option be paid for? Will medicare be cut and how will the savings work?
A: Medicare Advantage has been paying private insurers and is a managed care program. Experience shows that Medicare Advantage is paying 114 percent and it is being pocketed so it will be decreased to paying 100 percent payment level and that will create savings.
Experience shows that where MCO runs well, the result is savings and delivery of a pretty good medical product.
Also, evidence shows that durable medical equipment and home health services is inflated under Medicare and there are issues of fraud as well. We will be cracking down on these and that will produce savings as well.
A public Option will not cut into services to seniors, but will actually improve services (i.e., pharmaceuticals and the shrinking of the "donut hole"). Co-pay requirements will be eliminated for preventive care services. this will create savings and this also allows doctors to spend more quality time with seniors and to prescribe a better regimen for seniors which is a need voiced by many seniors. All these result in savings.
These are common sense measures and builds a solid structure for healthcare and if not accomplished now, it will result in another 2 decades of bad healthcare.
Q: Will a public option replace the federal healthcare insurance and have you read all of the 1,000 plus pages of the bill?
A: All federal employees will have an option, too. Congressman Sarbanes will have access to it. The federal plan is expensive with high premiums. The public option may make it decrease and become more attractive and affordable so you may see federal employees migrate to the public option. The public option will not mirror Canada's public program, but will reflect the needs of American citizens and fit American needs specifically.
Yes, Congressman has read all 1,000 plus pages of the healthcare reform bill. In fact, as a lawyer with background in healthcare and as an Energy & Commerce Committee member, it leaves him with a responsibility to know it and he had a role in reporting it out. Congressman Sarbanes co-authored measures that addressed pre-existing conditions in 2013 when the healthcare reform takes effect. The language was approved by the Committee and now it will go to the floor.
Q: There is concern that all government-run systems are known for paying doctor and medical bills as the lesser amount. How can you assure that doctor and medical bills paid will not deter doctors from practicing in the public option?
A: There will be sufficient reimbursement. In areas where there is excess, those dollars will go to areas where there is insufficiency. There will also be accountability. The system model is to stream unnecessary tests, etc. and keep costs under control per patient such as is being done successfully by the Mayo clinic.
The healthcare reform bill encourages different designs on how healthcare is delivered. If it is working in one geographic area, then leave it alone. If it is not, then fix it. This will encourage doctors to stay in the system and participate. The focus will be primary care and prevention and that will include student loan forgiveness for doctors practicing in the public option which is a huge incentive.
Q: Why is Single Payer option preferred?
A: Congressman Sarbanes understands the argument that a single payer is attractive and makes healthcare administration much simpler and less costly over time. However, the truth of the matter is that the healthcare industry is trying to cut out the public option so it does not drive them out of business. It also forces them to be honest and does not force them out of business if they are playing by the rules. Congressman Sarbanes believes that the single payer advocates should fight for the public option because it will create more choices, honesty by all insurers, and keep the best interest of the patient first.
Q: The final question taken is whether emergency rooms are being taken over by illegal (undocumented) aliens and especially if the healthcare reform is passed?
A: Congressman Sarbanes states that he carefully researched this issue and that undocumented immigrants is not the dominant group of people being served in emergency rooms. The number seen is actually a relatively small fraction of those who visit the emergency room. Most people visiting emergency rooms are uninsured American families. The number of undocumented people visiting emergency rooms will be fairly limited and the Exchange will be for American citizens and Congress is very mindful of this issue. The reality is that most people served in emergency rooms can prove citizenship.
If you have any questions about this summarized Town Hall Meeting specific to healthcare reform, please call Congressman Sarbanes at (410) 832-8890 and leave a voice mail or contact him at
www.sarbanes.house.gov. If you would like to receive the Sarbanes Standard Newsletter, please leave a voice mail message.
This summary of Congressman Sarbanes' Town Hall Meeting is compliments of the
Obama Healthcare Advocacy Team.
Agnes B. Levine
The Obama Healthcare Advocacy Team
Agnes B. Levine is the Author of "Cooling Well Water: A Collection of Work By an African-American Bipolar Woman" (ISBN 13 978-0-9754612-0-4). Available NOW on amazon.com.
Join Healthcare For America Now at
www.healthcareforamericanow.org Visit Healthcare Reform at
www.healthcarereform.org Visit Congress at
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Posted By: agnes levine
Monday, August 3rd 2009 at 10:11PM
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