For years health insurance costs have been out of control. Congress’ vote for health insurance reform will have an immediate impact on public employees and our patients and clients.
In LA County, health care costs have doubled over the past 7 years, and during bargaining last year LA County initially proposed to freeze its contribution and pass rising costs on to employees.
Earlier this year, Anthem Blue Cross decided to increase premiums by up to 39%. Without health insurance reform, premiums would keep rising and even people who receive health insurance through their employer would have to pay more and get less.• Lower costs over the long term so we can stop fighting over increased premiums and co-pays
• Bring new revenue for overburdened public health systems by bringing more people into the insurance safety net. By bringing more people into the health insurance system the new legislation will lower costs for everyone – including people with employer health plans
• Protect women, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses from being denied coverage
• Cover 15 million American children who do not have health insurance
• Health insurance reform will cover more people and lower costs for people with health care.
• Make sure emergency rooms are for real emergencies and not primary health care
What Happens When Health Insurance Reform Becomes Law?
Health insurance reform will bring immediate benefits to millions of Americans over the next few months, including those who currently have coverage.
1. Stops insurance companies from denying care based on “pre-existing conditions.”
• Immediately, people who are uninsured due to a pre-existing condition can buy insurance.
• Within 6 months of passage, no new health plan can discriminate against children with pre-existing conditions.
2. Stops many of the worst insurance company abuses. Insurance companies can no longer:
• Cancel insurance coverage retroactively when you get sick (rescission).
• Put lifetime limits on the dollar value of benefits.
3. Expands coverage and care for everyone.
• Allows young adults up to age 26 to stay covered on their parents’ insurance.
• Provides free preventive benefits.
4. Reduces prescription drug costs for seniors. Seniors will save hundreds of dollars in Medicare prescription drug costs immediately and the entire “donut hole” will be eliminated over time.
“Without health insurance reform, costs for health care have kept going up. This legislation doesn’t increase our out of pocket costs or co-pays. Over the long haul it should control and lower costs for county employees. For people with chronic and episodic illnesses who we treat in our county clinics and hospitals, this will let us spend more time educating our patients. We need to support legislators who had the courage to do the right thing.” – Harold Sterker, Public Health Educator, LA County
“As far as having health care for everybody, I think that it is a wonderful thing. So many people have to file for bankruptcy and experience emotional distress in order to get medical care. No one should have to suffer, go through pain or go without medication because they can’t afford medical care.” – Diana Serrano, GAIN Coordinator in Riverside County
“Access to health insurance is essential yet many of my friends and family members have struggled to get or keep coverage. I worry about catastrophic health costs that they cannot afford. Health care reform provides immediate benefits for them and gives me more confidence in the health care system for the long term.”– Frank Maxim, City Surveyor/Engineering Dept. City of Ventura
“When the health care debate began my daughter and her family lacked health insurance, even though she was a health care professional. Today there is hope for my daughter and the 32 million Americans without insurance who have an opportunity to benefit from this historic vote.” – Rosie Martinez, Public Health Nurse, LA County
I hope that the Doctors will treat patients without looking at them as $ (dollar sign) from now on. They (Drs.) should be more humanized.
I said this due an experience that I had three (3) years ago with youngest daughter. She went to see a doctor for a pain in her stomach, when her doctor “examened” her his diagnose was “gastroenterists”. So, he prescribed nothing but “tylenol” for her pain. She continued with her pain for about 3 more days and went again to see the doctor. So, the doctor gave her stronger “tylenol” and sent her back home.
My wife decided to go to Tijuana, BC Mexico to seek for another opinion, a Doctor from Tijuana just saw her eyes and immeditely said “she must go back to your doctor to have her remove stones from her goldblatter or she will probably die, this is an emergency, go, go now”.
This is not the first time, my wife had another experience but I will not talk for now.
These happened at Kaiser Permanente.
Thanks.
I’m really happy it passed. 1. While I was out last week trying to get signatures for (myself) County Political Central Committee which I missed it by 6 signatures not living in the district, I had 25 and only needed 20 gosh. Anyway while doing that one of the lady that signed she begin to tell me about her 6year old daughter. She said her daughter was in need of an operation and the doctor has been giving her the run around because of the insurance so she couldn’t do the operation. The doctor kept putting it off. I told her it will be alright. She said another doctor stepped in to see what he can do so she is to see this other doctor on the 31 and I told her I would come back on the first to check on her and her daughter so I know she is happy because now her daughter can have this operation because of this health reform passed. 2. My uncle was going back and forth to the doctor but they called him and said they cant help him anymore. He called today and said the doctor office called him and said everything is good now so they can see him and help him.
How can a doctor, any doctor just look at someone and tell that they have gallstones? The first doctor may not have diagnosed the problem but he sure could have made more money had he ordered diagnostic tests on your child. Did you daughter have emergency surgery?
This is a huge mess, a health care bill passed with typical Obama-Chicago style politics. Pass a bill that the majority of American’s are against, but with a bit of arm twisting and pay outs from Pelosi and Obama and suddenly the government knows what’s best for you. The burden of this will fall squarely on the middle class. To say we are going to medically cover everyone now and it’s not going to cost more money is ridiculous. This administration is sad!
Health care reform is a longtime coming. We need to support it. We are a successful country with poor access to health care. It opens up opportunity to seek preventive care whether it leads to preexisting condition or not. This is our first step in achieving quality health care for seniors, youth and America. Lavern Russeau,RN