Obama Health Care Transcript

Here is  the transcript of President-Elect Obama talking about Healtth care.

Obama-Health Care

Barack Obama’s Health Care Policy Director, Tom Daschle, did a video talking about health care.

What do you think?

Surgery covered–In India?

Came across this: An insurance company will pay for your surgery–provided you go to India for the procedure. It’s called Medical Tourism. Wow. This is an outrage. This is more proof universal health care, whether its Dennis Kucinich’s plan, or someone else’s, needs to be passed. An outrage.

Health Care Thoughts

A recent NY Times Letter to the Editor featured letters about health care:

As “The Wrong Place to Be Chronically Ill” (editorial Nov. 18) points out, the American health care system desperately needs reform.

We could solve most of our problems with the patient-centered medical home, already shown to end the fragmentation of health care, reduce medical errors, help reduce costs and lead to greater patient satisfaction.

Medical homes provide whole-person care, rather than single-illness or single-organ treatment. Patients get preventive services, diagnosis and treatment for minor health problems, and coordinated care for chronic illnesses. They cut unnecessary emergency room use by offering extended office hours and same-day appointments.

Medical homes’ electronic health records ensure accurate patient charts and help communicate with subspecialists, hospitals, pharmacists and allied health professionals.

The medical home concept has gained widespread support. But this is just the beginning. Only when employers demand medical home benefits from health plans, and insurers cover those benefits, can we make a dent in the fragmentation, excessive costs and poor outcomes that plague our system today.

Ted Epperly
Boise, Idaho, Nov.20, 2008

The writer, a medical doctor, is president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

 

•

To the Editor:

The results of the Commonwealth Fund study are not surprising. Limited insurance benefits and rising premiums have contributed to the growing number of Americans who forgo medical care because of costs. Lack of electronic records, coordinated care and insufficient incentives to physicians also affect patient care.

As Americans continue aging, it is expected that chronic conditions will continue on the rise. Adult primary care physicians are at the forefront of chronic disease management. Unfortunately, it is expected that the country will face a shortage of between 35,000 and 44,000 adult care generalists by 2025.

Primary care has evolved into an overloaded and unsatisfactory choice for medical students and residents, who prefer more lucrative subspecialties that offer a better lifestyle. The solution to our health problems relies not only in the much-expected health care reform but also in making primary care a very appealing option.

Hernan Delgado
Boston, Nov.20, 2008

The writer, a medical doctor, is in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children’s Hospital, Boston.

Healthy San Fransisco

In San Fransisco, a form of Universal Health Care has arrived: They call it, “Healthy San Fransisco”. It convers all uninsured adults. It’s paid for by the city government, costing them 200 million. So let’s do some simple math. There are 82,000 uninsured adults in San Fransisco. It costs roughly 2,439 dollars per person. Not bad. Multiply 2,439 by 300,000,00 (the population, roughly in America) you get 731, 700, 000,000. This is a rough estimate, of course. And for all we know, it could cost ten times more. But, even with this economy, its doable. Sometimes its better to ’spend your way out’ of a defecit. Think of the Great Depression.  Get people more jobs, get companies like GM off retiree health benefits. Maybe that will actually get us out of this faster.

Some Updates

We got two emails from local Assemblyman:

Thank you for contacting me about your fine work on universal health care, probably the closest to a just model of providing health care.  Your blog is informative and impressive.  I would suggest contacting your representative at the federal level, Congresswoman Nita Lowey concerning the Kucinich proposal.    
Please keep up the good works.  Perhaps I can look forward to working with you in the future on this and other issues.

Regards,

Adam Bradley
Member of Assembly

and

Although the State Assembly does not consider congressional bills like the one you have referenced above, we do influence healthcare policy on the state level. I appreciate you contacting me to express your thoughts on healthcare. I am especially concerned with improving our healthcare infrastructure, lowering costs by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse, and greatly reducing the cost of prescription drugs.

I remain committed to ensuring that all of New Yorkers have access to the best healthcare on the planet – and I will continue to advocate on your behalf. Be assured that I will keep your thoughts on this issue in mind during future Assembly discussions.

Please be aware that I strongly support reappropriating funds budgeted for homecare workforce recruitment that were never disbursed, in order to tackle the crippling the nursing shortage crisis in New York. To protect our seniors, I have voted against budget cuts to Medicaid and reimbursements for certified home-health agencies, long-term care programs and personal-care program providers.

As you may be aware, there have been recent proposals for reductions in funding to healthcare that represent Governor Paterson’s original two percent across-the-board cuts and his subsequent proposal for six percent cuts, which were withdrawn during Tuesday’s special session. As our state faces some extremely difficult budget choices during the worst economic crisis in recent memory, I was dismayed that Albany insiders chose to adopt the ‘three-men-in-a-room’ approach to solving the problems our state.

Successfully tackling these challenging economic issues requires the collective participation of all the elected leaders in a spirit of bi-partisan cooperation. Going forward, I will continue to challenge traditional Albany to ensure our state government operates effectively.

Thank you again for your comments. If you have any questions or further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Gregory R. Ball
Member of the Assembly
99th District

Pretty cool, right? Remember, it is very easy to contact your representatives and Senators. Go to the Congress website. They have everything you need.

It’s Here!

It’s here! Well, almost. Ted Kennedy has plans to unveil a universal health care bill. We had written about this earlier.  Unfortunately, we do not know the details of this plan. But it’s amazing that a plan is here. A plan from a respected, long time Senator. We’ve seen many plans; we supported Dennis Kucinich’s plan. If this plan does get passed, remember HR 676 has been in Congress for awhile, it signals that we’ve made change that was promised upon in this election. Universal Health Care is needed. One person who signed our petition wrote:

We need a HEALTH CARE and PRESCRIPTIONS program that all americans can afford not just the rich. I cant afford to have insurance because it will take just about my whole paycheck. I live day by day just like millions of other red blooded americans. I am so tired of working my butt off and not being able to afford to get sick because i cant affford to go to the DR. But let a foreigner come to america and see how fast things are handed to them on a sliver platter. I was born in this supose to be a Great Country. For who the foreigners not the american people at all. We need a damn good health plan and pers. care that everyone can afford not just the rich. They can pay out of pocket and wouldnt effect them in one bit. I pay out of pocket there goes bill money or food money out of my pocket. We need a real good affordable coveage that is not going to cost us a whole weeks paycheck.

That just makes this health care crisis so personal. This person could be your neighbor. If Kennedy’s plan passes, America will gain for it.

Petition

We created a petition on a website, called My Petition Site. This petition, which takes about 3 minutes to sign, will go to Congress, if and when we reach our goal of 1,000 signatures. So far, through 3 days, we have 36. Please sign this, and know you will be helping every single American.

Lowering your Health Care Costs

Health Care for all may never be a reality, but there are ways to save money. MSN  has a feature on the secrets of health insurance companies. They also have 13 ways to save. We’ll list them here:

1. Know your health insurance plan’s rules and follow them.

There are thousands of different health insurance plans nationwide, each one as different as the insurer or employer that sponsors it. If you’re not well versed about whether you need pre-authorization for outpatient surgery or if you must pick an allergist from a network, you could pay significantly more for your health care.

Don’t assume anything about your benefits and providers. In fact, don’t even believe everything stated in your most recent benefits handbook. Always double-check whether the benefits, services or providers you need are covered under your plan before you receive treatment. Do this by calling your plan’s customer-service department. Then obtain any necessary authorizations or schedule treatment with a doctor within your insurer’s network of providers — if that’s what your plan requires.

If you don’t follow the plan rules for receiving health care, your insurer may deny your claim or pay only a portion of the bill.

2. Buy a “lite” health insurance policy.

All states impose health insurance mandates on policies — requiring coverage for a variety of benefits, procedures and health care providers. That raises premiums for everyone and it doesn’t matter if you ever use the benefits. Perhaps you don’t need or want coverage for maternity stays or chiropractors or mental health treatment. So why pay for a policy that includes those?

According to the Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI), 10 states allow health insurers to offer “mandate-lite” policies, which can be tailored to your own health care needs and more affordable due to the reduced benefits: Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey and West Virginia.

3. Coordinate your family’s health insurance plans.

Dual coverage can be expensive. If both you and your spouse maintain coverage, make sure it makes financial sense to pay premiums for both. You don’t want to pay more than you’ll get back in benefits by having duplicate coverage.

If you do decide to maintain both plans — as an added safety net or because the benefits in one plan are needed and not offered by the other — make sure you understand how the benefits in each plan will coordinate with the other.

Coordination of benefits (COB) can be complicated, especially if you have one type of plan, such as an indemnity plan, and your spouse has an HMO.

4. Plan ahead for emergencies.

While you can’t always be fully prepared for an emergency, there are some things that you can have ready. Most importantly, you should know which nearby hospitals belong to your health plan’s network of providers. Learn this information ahead of time, write it down and keep it someplace handy. If you can’t find this information during an emergency, call the 24-hour help line number listed on the back of your insurance card.

5. Cut your pharmacy costs.

According to a March 2008 report issued jointly by USA Today, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, four in 10 adults (41 percent) say it’s at least somewhat of a problem for their family to pay for prescription drugs, including 16 percent who say it is a serious problem. That leads many to cut back: Three in 10 (29 percent) say that they have not filled a prescription in the last two years because it’s too expensive and 23 percent say they have cut pills in half or skipped doses in order to make medication last longer.

There are ways to stretch your drug dollar:

• Ask your doctor for free samples of any drugs prescribed. Most physicians have closets full of them.
• Major store chains offer low flat-rate prices for generic prescription drugs: Wal-Mart and Target have lists of prescriptions available for $4.
• Most drug manufacturers provide medications for free or at a reduced cost to people who qualify for their patient assistance programs. Many drug makers operate multiple programs, depending on the medicines involved. Eligibility rules for patient assistance programs vary considerably, but often you must be without insurance coverage for prescription drugs (including Medicaid and Medicare), meet low-income guidelines and be unable to afford your medicine on your own. For more, read Drug makers offer medications to people who can’t afford them.

6. Take advantage of tax breaks.

Flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and medical savings accounts (MSAs) — known collectively as health care savings accounts — are becoming more popular. One of the most popular is the FSA, an employer-sponsored account that offers you a way to pay for certain out-of-pocket health care or dependent care costs on a pre-tax basis. To get the tax advantages, though, you must open and fund your health care savings account.

Also, dental and vision care count as reimbursable medical expenses under FSA arrangements, so don’t forget to save your receipts for these services.

7. Quit smoking.

This can immediately save you $175 a month if you are a New Yorker with a one-pack-a-day habit, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Additionally, if you apply for life insurance as a smoker, you’ll pay a hard-to-swallow smoker rate. You may need to be smoke-free for a certain amount of time, up to three years with some insurers, to qualify for the nonsmoker rates.

8. Lose weight.

According to a March 2002 Rand Corp. study, being obese adds $395 each year to the average $1,500-per-year health care costs. That’s more than smoking (an addition of $230), aging 20 years ($225) and problem drinking ($150).

You could also have trouble securing life insurance and individual health insurance if you are obese.

9. Exercise more.

It’s harder to quantify what you’ll save in health care costs by exercising more since this number is also linked to losing weight through dieting. But generally speaking, exercising not only improves your health, it also saves you money when you purchase life insurance because healthy people live longer, and longer life expectancies mean better life insurance rates. Many studies show it’s never too late to start exercising and that even small improvements in your fitness level can improve your health and longevity.

10. Seek out free or low-cost health screenings, checkups and services.

Does your HMO offer free blood pressure checks? Low-cost flu costs or nutrition, dieting and physical fitness classes? Take advantage of these lifestyle programs to help you stay healthy and reduce your doctor visits and medications.

11. Raise your deductible or co-payment.

Whenever possible and financially practical, lower your monthly health insurance premium by raising your deductible or co-payment. But make sure that you can pay these potential out-of-pocket costs should you have to.

12. Haggle with your doctor.

Ask your doctor for a discount on medical treatments. There’s a long history of patients negotiating with their providers for lower prices on elective procedures, such as laser vision surgery or psychotherapy. Establish the price you believe is reasonable and go for it.

13. Investigate your State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is a federally funded program designed to provide health and dental coverage for children whose parents can’t afford private health insurance. Every state has its own SCHIP program and is allowed to make its own rules regarding policies and eligibility, within certain parameters. Families that do not currently have health insurance are likely to be eligible, even if parents are working. For little or no cost, SCHIP pays for doctor visits, immunizations, hospitalizations and emergency room visits.

In addition, some states have expanded SCHIP and Medicaid in order to cover pregnant woman and other adults who might otherwise go uninsured.

If you think your child might be eligible, you can get more information about SCHIP in your state by calling the nationwide toll-free hotline, (877) KIDS-NOW, or visiting the InsureKidsNow.gov Web site, which offers information about eligibility in your state and applying for coverage. For more, see State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Hopefully these tips will help save your money, while the fight for Universal Care goes on.

New Jersey and Health Care

Over half of New Jersey residents thought that health care system had ‘major problems’.  Here is one of the comments on the website:

UH OH!

I detect the beginning of a spin campaign, just like the war on Iraq, to promote New Jersey’s Universal Health Care system.

This is pending submission as a bill. Corzine wanted to push it, but with the current ‘budget crisis’ he’s backing away from it. Instead some moronic senator is going to submit it.

The cost is $1.7 billion per year.

It just so happens that Corzine stated next years deficit will be $1.7B.

Are the pulling this number out from somewhere that is dark or are they just multiplying the Seinfeld show’s $1.7 million joke by one thousand?

It seems like everything in this state is now $1.7B this or that! What gives?”

And this brings us to a question of moral values. Do states, and/or federal, governments, put health care as priority number 1? What about budget concerns? The looming economic crisis? How do we prioritize our problems to deal with them most effectively? What do you think?