Health Care

Letter to the editor: Senior citizens need to stand up for health care rights

Guest — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 05:34:52 +0000

Guest (not verified) Sun, 07/08/2012 - 10:34pm

Dear Ballard News-Tribune:

Billions of dollars in savings and added benefits for Medicare beneficiaries were preserved thanks to the Supreme Court ruling that upheld the Affordable Care Act. However, now I hear that the ACA is in jeopardy once again because the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, has decided to hold a vote on July 11th to repeal the entire law.

Apparently, some in Congress would like to take away our benefits such as closing the Medicare Part D prescription drug doughnut hole, annual wellness visits to the doctor and free disease screenings for cancer and diabetes patients. The truth is, the health care law has improved coverage and has cut out-of-pocket costs for millions of older Americans and their families.

Seniors need to call their local Representative and ask them to vote against any legislation that would repeal the Affordable Care Act. Members of Congress have the power to revoke the ACA, but they should remember that seniors have the power to revoke their time in Washington, DC in November.

Sincerely,
Matt Courter

All of Seattle and Washington

Ballard News Tribune

Look at the monopoly

patr — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:01:47 +0000

patr Mon, 05/03/2010 - 9:01am

To the editor:

This is an open letter to Mr. Rob McKenna.

I am a small business owner in West Seattle. Recently, our elected Attorney General, Rob McKenna, has subjected Washington State to the lawsuit involving universal health care. I am at a loss as to why he would waste taxpayers dollars on such a law suit. I understand that he believes the Federal Government doesn't have the right to require companies and individuals to purchase this coverage.

Now, I ask in this open letter as to why I have to purchase Workers' Compensation Insurance Coverage from Labor & Industry and am not allowed to purchase this coverage in the private market where there is competition. I have worked in other states and have found that competition protects the consumer. Here in Washington State, all employers, except the very largest who can manage a self insured retention, have no choice but to buy from the state monopoly.

The system as presently exists in Washington State makes the taxpayer as the reinsurer of last resort. Although, it appears that L&I carries limited coverage 375mm xs 25mm, that still makes me, the taxpayer, the reinsurer of last resort. Looking at the latest available information, the state retains a goodly portion of the risk, which, in the event of a major catastrophe, such as an earthquake or terrorist act, the state could be bankrupt (I sat on the Texas Insurance Advisory Association Board for Personal Lines and we found the same to be true in Texas with their wind cat fund). Having seen the W/C losses incurred first hand by 9/11 where one company’s workers’ compensation losses incurred (without any loss development, just established calendar year reserves and loss payments) were just shy of $1 billion – and that was just one insurer.

So, Mr. McKenna why don't you look at the monopoly in your state and allow Workers' Compensation Insurance to be sold by the private markets?

Robert Callard

COMMENTARY: Don't buy scare tactics, health care reform will cost less

Guest — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:23:34 +0000

Guest (not verified) Thu, 08/06/2009 - 1:23pm

By State Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Kent), Chair of Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee, and State Rep. Eileen Cody (D-West Seattle), Chair of House Health Care and Wellness Committee

Now that Congress is in August recess, those who want to maintain the health care status quo have gone into overdrive to derail reform efforts before a single proposal can be voted on by the full House and Senate.

The tactics are old and tired ─ scare and confuse the public with distortions and half-truths so nothing gets done.

You’re bound to hear the line that the Obama administration is moving too fast on health reform. The truth is the issue has gone unresolved since the 1900s when Teddy Roosevelt’s Progressive Party included it as part of its platform.

It’s easy to say “just slow down” when you have health coverage and your body hasn’t betrayed you. But, if you’re one of the estimated 46 million uninsured Americans just one illness away from financial ruin, reform can’t come soon enough.

And having insurance doesn’t protect you anymore either. Statistics show that roughly 62 percent of personal bankruptcies are caused by medical problems, and 78 percent of the people who filed for bankruptcy had health insurance.

We challenge the critics to look those people in the eye and tell them health reform can wait.

Critics also denounce projected reform costs that could top $1 trillion over the next decade. Sure, we’re talking about a lot of money, but naysayers fail to mention that our current system costs $2.2 trillion a year to stay afloat.

If we don’t act now, health care spending is projected to grow to $3.1 trillion in 2012 and $4.3 trillion by 2016. That means doing nothing will cost us more than four times as much as the cost of reform.

There’s no magic bullet to controlling costs, but better health information technology, preventive care and disease management show promise. Those are issues we have worked hard to address here in Washington, and we believe any federal plan should allow states to continue to build on existing state reform efforts.

The 2009 Legislature passed Senate Bill 5346, which requires insurance companies to adopt uniform standards and forms.

And our state’s first-in-the-nation Health Technology Assessment program, created in 2006, established an independent, clinical committee to determine which medical treatments are safe and effective and provide good value to patients.

In two years, the program has conducted empirical reviews of 10 treatments, including arthroscopic knee surgery and virtual colonoscopy. As a result of the program, the state has saved $21 million in unnecessary and potentially harmful care. Annualized savings exceed $27 million.

Several state agencies also participate in the Statewide Prescription Drug program that uses unbiased evidence reports and an independent, clinical committee to determine the most effective drugs. So far, the state’s top 28 drug classes have been reviewed, saving an estimated $55 million in 2008 alone.

Those are just some of the reforms we’ve been working on, but no state can afford to tackle this problem alone. We need the federal government to lead the way in replacing our outdated and inefficient health care delivery system with one that honors our values and puts the physical and economic well-being of all Americans ahead of profit.

It’s estimated that 14,000 Americans lose their health care everyday. That’s roughly the population of Centralia.

This year, with the leadership of the Obama administration, we can reverse that trend and build a health care system that protects our choice of doctors and insurance programs, assures all Americans affordable health care, and reduces costs to make health care affordable for us all.

Sen. Karen Keiser can be contacted at 360.786.7664 or PO Box 40433 Olympia, WA 98504-0433

Rep. Eileen Cody can be contacted at 360.786.7978 or PO Box 40600, 337 John L. O'Brien Building, Olympia WA 98504-0600