Health care issues

Health care issues

From the Washington Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA)

Call Your Member of Congress Tomorrow – Vote to Override the CHIP Veto!

October 16 Call-in Day! (800) 965-4701 [10-15-07]

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP or CHIP) provides health insurance to millions of children who would otherwise be uninsured. SCHIP has been a successful partnership between our federal and state governments to provide needed health care services for over 6 million children living in low-income households. Another 9 million children, however, remain uninsured, 4 million of whom will be covered by the reauthorization and expansion of the program that has been passed by the House and Senate.

On Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007, the President vetoed the bi-cameral compromise bill to reauthorize and expand this program, which passed the House on Sept. 25, and passed the Senate on Sept. 27. The Senate voted to approve the reauthorization bill with a veto-proof majority of 67-29 and the House vote, though not veto-proof, was an overwhelmingly bi-partisan 265-159.

The House has scheduled an Oct. 18 vote to try to override the President’s veto. Success is by no means certain and members of the House must hear that you support overriding the President’s veto of health care for 10 million children.

Please call your Representative tomorrow, Tuesday, October 16
Toll-free number: 1-800-965-4701

For your call:

Ask for your Representative's office* - Urge him/her to vote to provide health coverage to millions of uninsured children by overriding the veto of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 976).

*If you don't know your Representative’s name, go to http://capwiz.com/pcusa/dbq/officials/

See how your Representative voted on final passage of the children's health bill: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll906.xml

If your Representative voted no, or didn't vote, your call is especially important - some of the no votes or absences must be turned around in order to get to two-thirds majority required to overturn the veto. We can get there - if you and your neighbors call!

If your Representative voted yes, make sure to call and say "thank you." We need a huge volume of calls - enough to convince everyone that people are watching and want children to have health care. That tells proponents their constituents want them to keep it up!

The toll-free number is provided courtesy of American Friends Service Committee.

AFSC welcomes groups to circulate and use the toll-free number in support of non-partisan federal goals and without linking the alert to a website soliciting donations or actions which may be used to support partisan lobbying or work.

General Assembly Guidance:

In the "Resolution on Advocacy on Behalf of the Uninsured," the 214th General Assembly (2002) urged "adequate funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) so that health-care coverage will be available for all children…Urge[d] the expansion of CHIP legislation to include the parents or caregivers of children covered under its provisions…Encourage[d] members of the Congress to recognize the importance of universal health care - that is, equal, accessible, affordable, and high-quality health care for all persons residing in our nation." (Minutes, 2002, PC(USA), pp. 633-644.)

This material is available on the Washington Office website in PDF format (along with an Urgent Alert on the Middle East November Conference, calling for efforts to communication with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and information about Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2008: Claiming a Vision of True Security – scheduled for March 7-10, 2008).

Health care and America’s families

Families USA points us to a number of new reports and other resources on the Web, that provide information and ideas for action on health insurance for American employees, families, children ... and more. [10-19-06]

We've collected information on several new reports and other resources available on the Web that we hope you'll find interesting and useful. Descriptions and links appear below.

Employer Health Benefits 2006 Annual Survey investigates trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including changes in premiums, cost-sharing, employee contributions, and the prevalence of high-deductible health plans. The study found that insurance premiums are increasing more than twice as fast as workers’ wages and overall inflation.

Squeezed: Why Rising Exposure to Health Care Costs Threatens the Health and Financial Well-Being of American Families examines the implications of rising out-of-pocket costs for all privately insured Americans. The report also analyzes the experiences of adults with employer-sponsored coverage compared to those insured through the individual market.

Understanding How Health Insurance Premiums Are Regulated discusses the state and federal regulation of health insurance premiums.

According to recent data from the Census Bureau, 46.6 million Americans lack health insurance. The Number of Uninsured Americans Is at an All-Time High discusses the increased number of uninsured, the decline in employer-sponsored coverage, and changes in Medicaid and SCHIP enrollment.

No Shelter from the Storm: America's Uninsured Children takes a closer look at uninsured children—who they are and what kinds of services they miss out on as a result of being uninsured. The study examines the ability of uninsured children to obtain crucial medical services, including doctor visits, dental care, vision care, and prescription drugs. The report is accompanied by state-specific fact sheets.

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), created in 1997, has been a major factor in improving health coverage rates for children. Changes in Children’s Health Insurance Status, 1996-2005: Estimates for the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population under Age 18 examines trends in children’s health insurance coverage by race/ethnicity and finds that improvements have been particularly dramatic for minority children.

SCHIP Enrollees with Special Health Care Needs and Access to Care found that, in general, these children are able to obtain both care from a primary health care provider and routine specialty services. However, state restrictions make it difficult for some children with special health care needs to obtain specialty services.

CAHMI has launched the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health, which provides national, state, and regional data on children’s health care. The site allows users to view state profiles and search the National Survey of Children’s Health and the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs.

Health Care that Works for All Americans: Health Report to the American People outlines current health care policy issues and formulates recommendations based on the input of thousands of Americans who participated in community meetings held across the country. The report offers insight into many health care issues, including rising costs, quality shortcomings, and access problems.

Many health and tax policy analysts suspected that Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) would be used as tax shelters for high-incomes individuals. GAO Study Confirms Health Savings Accounts Primarily Benefit High-Income Individuals indicates that HSAs are disproportionately used by affluent individuals. The report also explains how HSAs and high-deductible plans reduce costs for healthy people while increasing out-of-pocket costs for less healthy people.

Health Coverage and Access to Care for Hispanics in "New Growth Communities" and "Major Hispanic Centers" finds that as the Hispanic population grows and moves beyond urban centers, Hispanics in "new growth communities" face greater barriers to health care than those in "major Hispanic centers." Much of this disparity is linked to the accessibility of community health centers and safety-net hospitals.

Patient populations have become increasingly diverse. Promising Practices for Patient-Centered Communication with Vulnerable Populations: Examples from Eight Hospitals identifies promising practices for health care organizations to communicate effectively across cultural, language, and health literacy barriers.

Seeking Solutions: Enhancing Health Care Delivery for People in Connecticut with Limited English Proficiency addresses the state’s increasingly diverse population and the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate health care. The report looks at the cost of providing interpreters for Medicaid recipients with limited English proficiency and the steps states have taken to make this possible. The report is also available in Spanish.

The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) allows states, with federal approval, to move certain groups of Medicaid beneficiaries into "benchmark" plans that do not provide all of the benefits covered by regular Medicaid. The Illusion of Choice: Vulnerable Medicaid Beneficiaries Being Placed in Scaled-Back "Benchmark" Benefit Packages explains that in certain states, groups of vulnerable beneficiaries that were declared exempt from this law—including the elderly, pregnant women, and people with disabilities—are being placed in scaled-back benchmark plans.

Early Experiences of Medicare Beneficiaries in Prescription Drug Plans: Insights from Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Directors explores early experiences with the Part D drug benefit based on the observations of SHIP directors who work closely with Medicare beneficiaries and CMS. SHIP directors reported problems and concerns relating to enrollment, premium payments, dual eligibles, authorization requirements, data system errors, and the "doughnut hole."

Medicare Privatization: Windfall for the Special Interests examines how several decisions by Congress to promote privatized Medicare are costing taxpayers billions of dollars and bringing windfall profits to the insurance and drug industries. The report focuses on 1) overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans, 2) special funding for Medicare regional PPOs, and 3) prices obtained by Part D drug plans.

The Origins of the Doughnut Hole: Excess Profits on Prescription Drugs describes how the Medicare Part D coverage gap, also known as the "doughnut hole," increases drug costs for seniors while ensuring profits for the pharmaceutical and private insurance industries.

Access to Cancer Drugs in Medicare Part D: Formulary Placement and Beneficiary Cost-Sharing in 2006 found that Part D greatly expanded Medicare beneficiaries’ access to cancer treatments. An analysis of nearly 3,000 Part D plans found that virtually all plans cover generic cancer drugs and the majority of brand-name drugs. Copayments for cancer drugs are relatively low, but prior-authorization requirements may limit access to some brand-name treatments. A subscription is necessary to view the full article.

If you find this helpful, you can sign up for Families USA >>.

Methodist Church offers drug discount program to all members
(prescription drugs, that is!) [3-11-04]

WebWeaver's note: We don't know how this will work out, but is it something the Presbyterian Church should be considering?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Responding to the escalating cost of prescription drugs, the United Methodist Church has begun making a drug benefit available to all 8.3 million of its U.S. members.

Through a partnership with prescription drug and health supply discounter DestinationRx, the denomination is offering a free card that gives discounts of up to 65 percent on most prescription drugs and other supplies, such as contact lenses, vitamins and drugs for pets.

Health care is a basic right, say church leaders

[3-17-03]

Presbyterians and other religious leaders join in declaring that access to adequate health care "is a basic right ... on par with other human rights such as the rights to food and shelter."

The religious leaders said the 40 million Americans who have no health insurance are casualties of "a crisis with moral and ethical dimensions" that "must be an urgent national priority."

A call to action

Religious leaders say health-care crisis has a moral dimension

by John Filiatreau, Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE -- March 12, 2003 -- Representatives of several major U.S. faith groups issued an "open letter to the American people" on March 11 declaring that access to adequate health care "is a basic right ... on par with other human rights such as the rights to food and shelter."

The religious leaders said the 40 million Americans who have no health insurance are casualties of "a crisis with moral and ethical dimensions" that "must be an urgent national priority."

The signers included the Rev. Eileen W. Lindner, a Presbyterian minister who is director of the National Council of Churches; Sayyid M. Syeed, president of the Islamic Society of North America; Bishop Melvin Talbert of the United Methodist Church; Nancy Wisdo, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; the Rev. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention; and Bishop George McKinney of the Church of God in Christ.

The letter was made public in connection with "Cover the Uninsured Week," a public-awareness project of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that has 175 national sponsors and 700 local sponsors around the country.

Organizers say more than 650 events -- health fairs, health screenings, rallies, church services -- were scheduled in all 50 states and the District of Columbia during the week of March 10 to March 16.

The signers of what was characterized as "an epistle to the American people" said they hope the statement "will serve as a rallying point for people of faith to pray, reflect, learn more about the problem, and add their voices to those seeking solutions."

"Together we can, and must, do better for those in need, and for the well-being of this land that we love," they said, urging Americans to make universal health care "our moral legacy to the nation."

The federal government says 41 million Americans were without health care for all of 2001. The Johnson Foundation estimates that more than 75 million, including eight million children, lacked coverage for at least two months during 2001 and 2002.

An estimated 40 percent of African-Americans and nearly one-third of Hispanic Americans are believed to lack coverage at any given time. According to the Johnson Foundation, one of every three non-elderly Americans is without health insurance today.

During another "Cover the Uninsured Week" event on March 11, a national call-in press conference, Stuart Schear, who manages the campaign, said Americans without health insurance "suffer terrible health consequences." He said 18,000 die unnecessarily each year, while uninsured women are 50 percent more likely to die of breast cancer, and uninsured men are 50 percent more likely to die of colon cancer, than their counterparts with insurance coverage.

He said it is a conviction shared by people "from every ethical tradition (and) every religious tradition" that health care, including preventative care, ought to be available to all Americans.

Lindner said the religious leaders had joined together "to begin to frame a new national debate around health coverage."

Saperstein said it is shameful that "the wealthiest, most bountiful country in the history of the world" should have "the highest percentage of people uninsured."

Land said the letter is a multifaith effort to raise awareness and "a call to action for people of faith ... to seek God's guidance together" for the sake of Americans "who go without basic health care because they can't afford it."

Land pointed out that the health-insurance crisis doesn't affect only the people who don't have coverage. These days, he said, "more people who are insured feel a sense of crisis" because they are having to "pay more and more for less and less." He said the expense of insuring the national staff of the Southern Baptist Convention has risen more than 30 percent in the past year.

"We're calling the nation to be their brothers' keeper," he said, urging people of faith to make access to health care a central issue in the 2004 elections.

For information about "Cover the Uninsured Week" events, and for resources including interfaith liturgical materials, visit the Web site of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.