INDIVISIBLE Lambertville NJ / New Hope PA

Category: Healthcare

  • The Battle to Save Health Insurance is Making Me Sick

     Contributed by Caroline Armstrong.

    It’s true. I wake up each morning with a belly ache, wondering how much longer I will be able to hold onto my health insurance. For more than two years, we have been fighting to preserve and to shore up the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the face of a relentless effort by the Trump administration and the GOP to dismantle the ACA, including an ongoing federal court battle to overturn it. 

    There appears to be no end in sight. Quoting Senator Lindsey Graham: “If we can get the House back and keep our majority in the Senate, and President Trump wins reelection, I can promise you not only are we going to repeal Obamacare, we’re going to do it in a smart way where South Carolina will be the biggest winner.”

    True, the 2020 Democratic Presidential candidates have made healthcare a premier campaign issue, with many going on record supporting various versions of universal healthcare or at least vastly expanded coverage. But, that’s a longer term vision. What I worry about is what’s right in front of us here and now. That’s why I believe we all need to turn to our State representatives to ensure that we are adequately protected in the event the ACA goes down. 

    I applaud Pennsylvania and New Jersey for enacting some critical pieces of health care legislation over the past year or that counteract federal efforts to undermine the ACA. This summer, Pennsylvania passed legislation to create a state-based ACA health insurance marketplace and authorized the creation of a new reinsurance program, both aimed at lowering insurance premiums and increasing access to health insurance. New Jersey enacted similar legislation along with several other important pieces of legislation, including one enabling the state to create its own individual mandate, an ACA provision that stopped being enforced as a result of the GOP 2017 tax law. 

    We still need more. Protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions, preserving the essential health benefits under the ACA, ensuring those up to the age of 26 continue to be eligible for coverage under their parents’ insurance are examples of outstanding needs that we must make sure are met through additional state legislation.

    Be informed, learn more at the October Springboard: 

    Get the latest on the health insurance front at the state and national levels at the upcoming Indivisible Lambertville/New Hope Springboard program called “Health Insurance – Are We at Risk of Losing It?” on Monday, October 7, 7:00-8:30 pm at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center, 25 S. Union Street, Lambertville, NJ. The program will feature three policy experts in the healthcare field who will tell us the latest and entertain your questions, and include a discussion of actions we can take as concerned citizens. Sign up now at the Indivisible Lambertville/New Hope website.

    ______________________

    1 August 5, 2019 interview on “The Morning Answer with Joey Hudson”

  • Just the Facts on Healthcare

    Contributed by Olga Vanucci.

    • In 2017, 8.8% of people, or 28.5 million people, did not have health insurance at any 
    • point during the year.  
    • In 2017, employer-based insurance covered just 56% of the population, followed by Medicaid (19%), Medicare (17%), direct-purchase coverage (16%), and military coverage (5%).
    • Between 2016 and 2017, the percentage of people without health insurance coverage decreased in 3 states and increased in 14 states.
    • About 43 million Americans have unpaid medical debt.  This includes people who have insurance.
    • About one in six Americans received a surprise out-of-network medical bill in 2017 after being treated in a hospital, even though they had insurance.
    • The top 25 countries with the best healthcare systems have this in common:  they all provide universal healthcare. The U.S. is not in the top 25.

    Sources:

    https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2018/demo/p60-264.html

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/08/medical-bill-debt-collection/596914/

    https://ceoworld.biz/2018/02/14/the-top-25-countries-with-the-best-healthcare-systems-the-world-in-2017/

  • Just the Facts

    Contributed by Olga Vanucci

    • There are about 900,000 abortions in the U.S. each year, a 40% reduction since 1990.
    • That’s 18.8 abortions for every 100 pregnancies.
    • The number of abortion providers has dropped from a high of 2,918 in 1982 to 1,671 in 2014.
    • The number of deaths annually in the U.S. resulting from abortions has declined from 2,700 women in 1930 to about 200 in 1965 to around 10 currently.
    • 88% of abortions take place in developing countries.
    • 49% of abortions in developing countries are unsafe. 
    • 6.9 million women are treated annually in developing regions for complications from unsafe abortions.

    Sources:  

  • The Veterans Affairs Healthcare System: Politics and the Privatization Debate

    Contributed by Paige Barnett. 

    The largest healthcare system in the U.S., the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) System, provides a wide range of services to those who have served in the military. As a taxpayer-funded endeavor, it is often subject to scrutiny by the media as well as political fodder for either party or agenda. Due to its size, complexity and needs of patients, the VA health care network has its own unique set of challenges. Republicans have called for privatization of the system, but whether this would serve the best interests and needs of the patients is open to debate.  

    Frequent stories in the media are often quick to point to failings and little about successes of the VHA. For example, in 2014, CNN ran an investigative expose, “A Fatal Wait: Veterans Languish and Die on a VA Hospital’s Secret Wait List.” which uncovered a long wait list of veterans at the Phoenix VA hospital. Undoubtedly, it was a situation that needed to be addressed and remedied. This story does not speak for all who experience the VHA care, however. “If you’ve ever been to a VA (Veterans Affairs) hospital, then you’ve only ever been to one VA hospital,”  said Dr. Roy Feldman, retired Chief, Dental Service of the VHA Hospital in Philadelphia.

    That is to say, not all VA hospitals are created equal; some are competently operated, while others lack competent leadership.  In fact, the consumer surveys of veteran end users show very favorable ratings in terms of delivery of care, with the VHA ranking better or best.  In addition, there is a “Choice” program, whereby if a veteran is unable to receive services through the local VHA, the VA will pay for an outside service.  In the treatment of PTSD and spinal cord injuries, the VHA ranks the best. Further, the doctors and nurses of the VHA are aligned with the mission to serve the veterans to the best of their abilities.    

    Political agendas are fueled by questions about whether the level of care delivered is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. A report by the VA Inspector General issued earlier this year which cited examples of financial waste and actions detrimental to patient safety at the Washington, DC hospital, served to heighten demands by the Republican administration to privatize the VHA system. It was also one of the factors leading to the ouster of VA Secretary, David Shulkin, who opposed privatization. Trump subsequently failed in his attempt to replace Shulkin his own personal doctor, Ronny L. Jackson, ultimately naming Robert Wilkie to the position in May 2018.

    Those with experience working within the VHA believe that the two most pressing problems are appropriating money without a succinct plan, and policy making that does not address the needs of the patients. To be sure, the size and scope of the VHA can slow down necessary changes, which is again, an oft-cited reason by the Republicans to privatize the system. But it’s that very size, complexity and unique needs of the patients that may be the saving grace of the VHA.

    Would it be wise to  privatize the second largest governmental budget? As Dr. Feldman aptly said, “You can’t get more politically correct than to support veterans.”  

    And never, ever mess with what is rightfully due to our veterans.

    Additional Reading:

  • Action Group Focus: Healthcare — A Right at Risk

    Although the efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “failed,” it continues to be under daily assault by the Trump administration and the Department of Health and Human Services. The Trump administration has resorted to chipping away at the foundations of the ACA to push it toward its demise – eliminating the individual mandate, allowing health association plans, eliminating or “pausing” important taxes that fund ACA subsidies for low-income Americans, and eliminating the cost-sharing provisions in the individual health marketplace. Moreover, the Trump Administration continues its assault on Medicaid and is encouraging states to apply for waivers that mandate work requirements for “able-bodied” adults within the Medicaid population. The good news is that, thanks to hard work by groups like ILNH and many others in promoting ACA enrollment, the efforts by this administration to thwart Americans from signing up for health insurance on the individual marketplace did not work, and many people signed up for coverage – in fact, the numbers are very close to last year!

    Read more about the chipping away at the ACA, people to follow and resources at the link here and come to the Feb. 11 Community Gathering/General Meeting at DIG Yoga, (address) at 3pm.

    Call to Action: What Can You Do?
    1. Write letters to Congressmen Lance and Fitzpatrick demanding leadership to stabilize the ACA and protect women’s health!
    2. Write state action letters to both New Jersey and Pennsylvania governors, asking them to take actions to stabilize the healthcare market at the state level – establishing an individual mandate within the state and strong regulations to protect the most vulnerable within our communities.

    Additionally, the Trump administration and the GOP have attempted to force the collapse of the ACA and erode women’s health initiatives even further through the following mechanisms:
    • Eliminating the funding for cost-sharing reductions available to low-income Americans who purchased their health insurance on the exchanges;
    • Passing a tax bill that repealed the individual mandate, which destabilizes the risk pool within the exchanges by allowing (even encouraging) young/healthy people to opt out of purchasing health insurance;
    • Attacking Medicaid, Medicare and other social safety net programs, stating that the United States can not “afford” these programs – after passing a tax bill that adds $1.5 trillion in national debt, all just to award the wealthy and corporations a big tax cut;
    • Allowing health association plans, purchasing health insurance across state lines, and extension of short-term coverage plans – all aimed at destabilizing the individual health insurance marketplace;
    • Delaying and/or discouraging bipartisan efforts (e.g., the Alexander-Murray Bill) to improve the ACA;
    • Delaying the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and not reauthorizing community health centers;
    • Continuing efforts to defund Planned Parenthood; allowing the removal of birth control coverage in health insurance plans based on “religious/moral” grounds; signing an executive order that allows health professionals to deny health services on the basis of “religious freedom;” and allowing gender bias in health Association Plans
    Healthcare Facts

    1. What is Medicaid and whom does it cover?
      • Medicaid is the nation’s public health insurance program for low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities, and covers one in five Americans (many with complex and costly needs for medical care and long-term services).
      • Income threshold and other factors that determine Medicaid eligibility vary by state, but low-income eligibility is pegged to the federal poverty level, which is calculated for one person at $12,060 and for a family of four at $24,600. Under the ACA, states have the ability to increase these thresholds to $16,394/$33,534.
      • Approximately 81 million Americans receive Medicaid. Most (67 percent) of the recipients are poor children, elderly, and the disabled. Two-thirds of the adults who receive Medicaid are full-time workers and an additional 13 percent work part-time.
      • 60 percent of Medicaid expenditures cover the disabled and elderly populations – mostly in nursing homes.
    2. How many Planned Parenthood and community health facilities are in our districts?
      • In Leonard Lance’s district, NJCD 7: In Hunterdon County there is one Planned Parenthood office and there are NO community health centers. The Planned Parenthood facility is the only facility in the entire county where low-income residents have access to primary care services. No federal dollars are spent on abortions.
    Resources:
    Follow these Twitter accounts: Sarah Kliff (@sarahkliff); Andy Slavitt (@andyslavitt); Loren Adler (@lorenadler); Stephanie Armour (@stepharmour1); Charles Gaba (@Charles_Gaba); Larry Levitt (@Larry_Levitt); Alex Ruoff (@AlexRuoff); Topher Spiro (@topherspiro); Louise Norris (@LouiseNorris)

    Podcasts: Kaiser Health News’ What the Health; Vox’s The Weeds

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