90 likes | 191 Views
Greater Cleveland Congregations – June 23, 2011. Health Care – Federal, State, and Local Problems By Gary Benjamin. How many of us need health care?. But many of our neighbors can ’ t find high quality care. No Insurance. Can ’ t find a doctor. Cost too high.
E N D
Greater Cleveland Congregations – June 23, 2011 Health Care – Federal, State, and Local Problems By Gary Benjamin
How many of us need health care? • But many of our neighbors can’t find high quality care. • No Insurance. • Can’t find a doctor. • Cost too high. • Medicaid/Medicare won’t pay enough. • Have more than one condition. • Other ??
The present system - • Costs too much • Covers too few (50.7 million uninsured) • Fails too many • Those with pre-existing conditions can’t get covered • Insurance companies drop coverage or raise premiums when people get sick • Doesn’t give everyone equal access to good health • Provides fragmented care with poor quality outcomes
What did Federal Reform Do? Makes insurance more affordable by providing sliding scale subsidies Requires more people to buy affordable insurance or pay a tax. Prohibits discrimination against those who are sick or injured.
What will Federal Reform Do? • 1.4 million uninsured Ohioans could get affordable coverage through the health insurance exchange • 942,000 Ohioans could qualify for premium tax credits to help them purchases health coverage • 1.8 million seniors would receive free preventive services • 325,000 seniors would benefit from closing the “donut-hole” in Medicare Part D • 165,000 people with pre-existing conditions will no longer by denied insurance • 118,000 small businesses could be helped by a tax credit to make premiums more affordable Center for Community Solutions
What will federal reform do? Medicaid Revolution! • Medicaid will be available to all adults with incomes up to 133% of the Federal Poverty Level ($29,326 for a family of 4) • Doctors accepting Medicaid will be paid more. • 16 to 18 million people covered. • Over 1 million in Ohio.
Are the obstacles gone now? • No Insurance? • Can’t find a doctor? • Cost is too high? • Medicaid/Medicare won’t pay enough? • Have more than one condition? • Other ??
What can we do? • Work locally on care delivery. • Work locally on access to care. • Work on payment reform. • Show me the money! • Make sure the mandate is not repealed. • Make sure Medicaid/Medicare are funded well. • Work on cost – drug prices; hospital billing; other ??
What can we do? Examples - • Health care and financing it is the biggest business in North East Ohio. • We can work • In your hospital or doctor’s office; • Locally – Healthy Cleveland and more; • State – Exchange and more; • Federally – Medicaid funding and more.