[Winona Online Democracy]
I strongly agree with Paul.
The Massachusetts Plan a false hope, a mirage. It's also a windfall for the
insurance companies.
It's VERY important to be very clear when people say, "universal health care
coverage," that they explain how they will make it happen.
Republicans and Democrats both say they are in favor of universal health
care coverage. So what? That is easy and cheap to say.
The tough part is showing how you will make it happen.
By the way, there have been bills in the Minnesota Legislature to create a
single-payer health care system that would give better health insurance to
everyone AND cut costs.
The problem is that both Republicans AND Democrats have blocked those bills
from leaving certain important committees. The insurance (and drug)
corporations own the politicians through our current system of legalized
bribery known as campaign contributions. Fix our democracy and the
democracy will fix our health care system.
Below is a copy of a statement made by the Physicians for a National Health
Program group in response to the Massachusetts plan. Some of what they say
is very similar to what Paul said.
F.Y.I.
Dwayne Voegeli
April 5, 2006
============
Massachusetts Health Reform Bill: A False Promise of Universal Coverage
For Immediate Release: April 5, 2006
Contacts:
Steffie Woolhandler, M.D., 617-497-1268
David Himmelstein, M.D., 617-665-1032
Nick Skala, 312-782-6006
Statement by Steffie Woolhandler, M.D., M.P.H. and David U. Himmelstein,
M.D.
It's a stirring scene. The Governor, legislative leaders and leaders of
Health Care For All standing in the State House Rotunda declaring victory in
the fight for universal health coverage. Unfortunately, this week's tableau
merely repeats one from 20 years ago when Governor Dukakis was celebrating
passage of his universal healthcare bill. That plan imploded within two
years, and today about 250,000 more people are uninsured in Massachusetts
than the day it was signed. Unfortunately, Massachusetts' new health reform
legislation looks set to repeat that disaster.
What's in the New Bill?
The new bill includes three key provisions meant to expand coverage. First,
it would modestly expand Medicaid eligibility. Second, it would offer
subsidies for the purchase of private coverage to low-income individuals and
families, though the size of the subsidies has yet to be determined.
Finally, those making more than three times the poverty income (about
$30,000 for a single person) would have to buy their own coverage or pay a
fine.
To help make coverage more affordable, a new state agency will connect
people with the private insurance plans that sell the coverage, and allow
people to use pre-tax dollars to purchase coverage (a tax break that mostly
helps affluent tax payers who are in high tax brackets). This new agency is
also supposed to help design affordable plans.
Businesses that employ more than 10 people and fail to provide health
insurance will be assessed a fee (not more than $295) to help subsidize
care. Additionally, hospitals won a rate hike assuring them better payments
from state programs, and several provisions were included that are meant to
attract additional Federal funding to help pay for the Medicaid expansion.
What's Wrong With This Picture?
First, the politicians assumed that only about 500,000 people in
Massachusetts are uninsured. The Census Bureau says that 748,000 are
uninsured. Why the difference? The 500,000 figure comes from a phone survey
conducted in English and Spanish. Anyone without a phone or who speaks
another language is counted as insured. The 748,000 figure comes from a
door-to-door survey carried out in many languages (including Portuguese and
Haitian Creole, common languages in Massachusetts). In sum, the reform plan
wishes away 248,000 uninsured people who don't have phones or don't speak
English or Spanish. It provides no funding or means to get them coverage.
Second, the linchpin of the plan is the false assumption that uninsured
people will be able to find affordable health plans. A typical group policy
in Massachusetts costs about $4500 annually for an individual and more than
$11,000 for family coverage. A wealthy uninsured person could afford that -
but few of the uninsured are wealthy. A 25 year old fitness instructor can
find a cheaper plan. But few of the uninsured are young and healthy.
According to Census Bureau figures, only 12.4% of the 748,000 uninsured in
Massachusetts are both young enough to qualify for low-premium plans (under
age 35) and affluent enough (incomes greater than 499% of poverty) to
readily afford them. Yet even this 12.4% figure may be too high if insurers
are allowed to charge higher premiums for persons with health problems; only
half of uninsured persons in those age and income categories report that
they are in "excellent health".
The legislation promises that the uninsured will be offered comprehensive,
affordable private health plans. But that's like promising chocolate chip
cookies with no fat, sugar or calories. The only way to get cheaper plans is
to strip down the coverage - boost copayments, deductibles, uncovered
services etc.
Hence, the requirement that most of the uninsured purchase coverage will
either require them to pay money they don't have, or buy nearly worthless
stripped down policies that represent coverage in name only.
Third, the legislation will do nothing to contain the skyrocketing costs of
care in Massachusetts - already the highest in the world. Indeed, it gives
new infusions of cash to hospitals and private insurers. Predictably, rising
costs will force more and more employers to drop coverage, while state
coffers will be drained by the continuing cost increases in Medicaid.
Moreover, when the next recession hits, tax revenues will fall just as a
flood of newly unemployed people join the Medicaid program or apply for the
insurance subsidies promised in the reform legislation. The program is
simply not sustainable over the long - or even medium - term.
What Are the Alternatives?
The legislation offers empty promises and ignores real - and popular -
solutions.
A single payer universal coverage plan could cut costs by streamlining
health care paperwork, making health care affordable. Massachusetts Blue
Cross spends only 86% of premiums paying for care. It spends the rest - more
than $700 million last year - on billing, marketing and other administrative
costs. Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts Health Plan - our other big insurers - are
little better; each took in about $300 million more than it paid out. That's
ten times as much overhead per enrollee as Canada's national health
insurance program. And our hospitals and doctors spent billions more
fighting with insurers over payments for each bandaid and aspirin tablet.
Overall, Massachusetts residents will spend $13.3 billion on health care
bureaucracy this year - nearly one third of our total health bill. If we cut
bureaucracy to Canada's levels we could save $9.4 billion annually, enough
to cover all of the 748,000 uninsured in Massachusetts and to improve
coverage for the rest of us.
Study after study - by the Congressional Budget Office, the General
Accounting Office and even the Massachusetts Medical Society - have
confirmed that single payer is the only route to affordable universal
coverage.
And single payer is popular. The Massachusetts Nurses Association supports
it along with dozens of other labor, seniors and consumer groups; so do 62%
of Massachusetts physicians according to a recent survey. National polls
find that almost two-thirds of Americans favor a tax-funded plan like
Medicare that would cover all Americans.
But single payer national health insurance threatens the multi-million
dollar paychecks of insurance executives, and the outrageous profits of drug
companies and medical entrepreneurs.
It's time for politicians to stand up to the insurance and drug industries
and pass health reform that can work.
Steffie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein are primary care physicians at
Cambridge Hospital and Associate
Physicians for a National Health Program is an organization of 14,000
physicians that support universal access to health care. PNHP is
headquartered in Chicago and has chapters and spokespeople across the U.S.
To contact a physician-spokesperson in your area, contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] or
call 312-782-6006. www.pnhp.org.
================
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Double" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Online Democracy" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 4:20 PM
Subject: [Winona] Health Care
[Winona Online Democracy]
The AP reported today that----
Massachusetts approved a new health care initiative that could fine
individuals of more than $1000 per year if they don't get health insurance.
Employers who don't offer health insurance will pay an annual fee to the
state of $296 per employee.
All residents are to be insured beginning July 1, 2007
Single adults making less than $9500 will have insurance provided by the
state with no premiums or deductibles.
Families living up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level will be
offered insurance on a sliding scale with no deductibles
The bill passed 154-2 in the Democrat controlled House and 37-0 in the
Democrat controlled Senate and the Republican Governor is expected to sign
the bill.
No new taxes are provided in the bill. The cost was put at 316 Million the
first year and $1 Billion by year three. The federal government has pledged
$386 million per year for two years it the state can show progress in
reducing the number of uninsured.
This one will be fun to watch! It will be even more fun to see the profits
generated by the insurance industry. They will laugh all the way to the
bank just like they did on Medicare D!
Paul Double
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