Health Care for All

2009

A Moral and Economic Imperative

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

We spend twice as much as the rest of the industrialized world on health care

Yet 46 million Americans lack health insurance, 8 million of whom are children

Millions more are underinsured

As our economy worsens, things will only get worse

Those We Trust Support Reform

450,000 Doctors Can’t Be Wrong – watch the video

Listen to nurses support health care reform on the White House blog

RESULTS 2009 Health Care Campaign Goals

Strengthen and expand Medicaid

Increase access to primary care for underserved communities through a larger and better supported community health center network

Create a strong, non-profit, public health insurance plan as an option for people to choose.

Build support for a National Health Program (a.k.a. single-payer system) as the long-term vision for U.S. health care

Support efforts to end childhood hunger in the United States through investments in child nutrition programs

Reasons to Celebrate! The Children’s Health

Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) provides health coverage to 4.1 million more low- and moderate-income children

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) increased federal funds for Medicaid to help states maintain health coverage during the recession

Health Care Legislative Update The House of Representatives passed the “Affordable

Health Care for America Act” (H.R.3962), 220-215 on November 7, 2009. Read AARP’s endorsement of this bill

The Senate has begun debate on the ”Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” bill which merged the two Senate Committee bills.

The Senate and House bills will be the sent to a Conference Committee to create one bill. That bill must be voted on again by both chambers.

Visit the Kaiser Family Foundation website for up-to-date reports

Background on Medicaid Covers 60 million low-income Americans (over 40

percent of the poor) Larger than any other single health care program in

the U.S. (including Medicare) Benefit coverage includes physician and hospital

visits, well-child care, health screenings, vision care and dental services and all services deemed “medically necessary”

The child health component of Medicaid is the Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) Program, and is required in every state.

Medicaid Benefits

Reduces out-of-pocket expenses Covers many services not typically covered by private health

insurance – transportation and disability assistance Provides comprehensive coverage, including long-term care due to

serious illness Carries 20 percent fewer overhead and administrative costs than

private insurance Allows appeals to benefit denials without risk of losing coverage

Medicaid Access Issues

Many adults do not qualify for Medicaid Only 25% of the nation’s uninsured are currently

eligible for either Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

35% of uninsured Americans have income levels below $10,830 a year – by expanding Medicaid, we can reduce the number of uninsured by over one-third

Only 16 states and Washington, DC currently cover parents up to the federal poverty line ($22,050 for a family of four in 2009)

RESULTS position Senate Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

House Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R.3962) -- passed 220-215

Expand Medicaid to include everyone at or below 150% of the federal poverty line (FPL).

Provide for automatic increases in federal funding during economic downturns, i.e. counter-cyclical financing.

Finance Medicaid expansion with 100 percent federal financing.

Preserve existing Medicaid benefits for current and new enrollees.

Expands Medicaid eligibility to everyone at or below 133 percent FPL, beginning in 2014.

Federal government pays 100 percent of the expansion through 2016.

No provisions for counter-cyclical funding.

Expands Medicaid coverage for everyone up to 150% of the FPL.

Provides 100% federal funding for the expansion until 2015.

No provisions for counter cyclical funding, but $23.5 billion included to continue higher federal funding for Medicaid to help states.

Preserves existing Medicaid benefits for current and new enrollees.

Medicaid and Health Reform

Background on Community Health Centers (CHCs)

CHCs comprise the nation’s largest primary care system with 1,100 facilities serving 19 million people

Anyone can seek care at a CHC but most cared for are uninsured or on Medicaid

CHCs primarily serve lower income and minority communities 70 percent of patients have incomes below 100% FPL

CHC Access Issues Many in rural areas and urban inner cities still lack

nearby health care facilities and primary care providers Need has increased for health care providers to staff

community health centers Newly underinsured turning more to CHCs for

affordable care A combination of incentives for doctors and health care

service providers, along with increased federal funding, is desperately needed for health centers to merely maintain the level of care they currently provide their communities

Learn which CHCs are near you at the Health Resources and Services Administration locator

RESULTS position Senate Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

House Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R.3962) -- passed 220-215

Urge Congress to expand access to primary care through a larger and better supported community health center network.

Authorizes up to $8.3 billion in CHC funding by 2016. Funding would increase gradually, from $2.8 billion in 2010 to $8.3 billion in 2016. Language does not guarantee funding; only authorizes it to be allocated.

Guarantees funding for health centers though a Public Health Investment Fund, which contains an additional $12 billion for Health Centers over the next five years.

Increases investment in National Health Service Corps to train more health care service providers.

Health Centers and Health Reform

National Health Program

RESULTS has endorsed a national health insurance program as our long term goal for U.S. health care

A national health program, or "single-payer" health care, is a system in which a single public or quasi-public agency organizes health financing, but delivery of care remains largely private

In the U.S., Medicare is a single-payer system in that private doctors and hospitals deliver care to patients but the bills are paid by the government, not private insurers

Single-Payer Would Help Patients

All Americans would be covered for all medically necessary services

Patients would regain free choice of doctor and hospital, and doctors would regain autonomy over patient care

Families will pay less

Single-Payer Would Help the Economy

Medicare for All would be a major economic stimulus

Single-Payer health care lowers costs through: Negotiating reasonable fees for services Bulk purchasing of prescription drugs Eliminating administrative waste

Businesses will pay less 62 percent of all bankruptcies are

caused by illness and medical bills – see Physicians for a National Health Program video

RESULTS position Senate Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

House Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R.3962) -- passed 220-215

RESULTS has endorsed a National Health Program as our long-term goal for health reform (H.R.676 and S.703).

Does not include a national health care plan.

Sen. Sanders (I-VT) many offer an amendment on the Senate floor to allow certain states to try state-based single-payer systems.

Does not include a national health care plan.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY-9) withdrew his amendment that would have replaced the provisions in the bill with those of H.R.676 and create a national health program.

Single-Payer and Health Reform

Child Nutrition Programs

Federal nutrition programs help feed children in low-income families

12.4 million children lived in households that were food insecure in 2007 (USDA)

Both poverty and food insecurity are much higher for Hispanic and African-American households

Moderate under-nutrition can have lasting effects on cognitive development of children

Child Nutrition Reauthorization

Child Nutrition Reauthorization has been postponed until 2010 School Breakfast and Lunch Special Nutrition for Women,

Infants, and Children (WIC) the Summer Food Service

Program, and the Child and Adult Care Feeding

Program (CACFP President Obama’s

proposed budget would increase total funding for child nutrition by $2.7 billion in FY 2010

Principles for Child Nutrition Reauthorization

A broad-based Child Nutrition Coalition has agreed on a statement of principles for reauthorization. RESULTS endorses these principles. Improving access to nutritious food in schools, child care centers

and homes, in after school programs, on weekends, during the summer, and in the home.

Enhancing the nutritional environment to promote healthy eating habits for women and children.

Modernizing and streamlining program operations to improve

program integrity and efficiency.

Health Care Laser Talk

Engage: New data shows that 45,000 people die every single year in the United States because they lack health coverage; at least one-third of the uninsured fall below the poverty line and cannot get Medicaid coverage because of current program restrictions.

Problem: While I am pleased that all of the health reform bills moving in Congress expand the Medicaid program to everyone at or below 133 percent of the poverty line, the Senate bill still needs serious improvements in order to provide a reliable health safety net that protects low-income communities.

Health Care Laser Talk Inform: For example, the Senate bill delays this

important Medicaid expansion until 2014, and also asks states to pay for part of it, which has drawn objections from many governors. Unlike the House bill, the Senate legislation does not include resources to increase reimbursement rates — this is key to making sure that society’s most vulnerable can access services in their communities. The foundation for meaningful health reform this year must be America’s successful public programs — Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) — and I hope you will support amendments that strengthen the Medicaid program.

Health Care Laser Talk

Call to Action: Will you work to strengthen Medicaid by securing full federal financing for the expansion,

providing “traditional” Medicaid benefits to all those who gain coverage,

expanding access by increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates, and

not making our most vulnerable wait five years to get coverage through Medicaid?

Resources Health Reform.gov offers a state-by-state analysis of

how health care reform can benefit the constituents of your elected officials

Media tips from Universal Health Care Action Network (UHCAN)

A Woman Is Not a Pre-existing Condition – watch the videos

Side-by-side comparisons of bills from Kaiser Family Foundation

Part of a faith community? Check out Faithful Reform in Health Care