State Health Care Briefs 2009: Why Health Care Reform is Important is now available on AARP Policy & Research.

http://www.aarp.org/research/health/carefinancing/state_hcb_09.html

This set of State Health Care Briefs provides a one-page overview of facts on health care data for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

 

CEO Rand: Americans “will now have a new opportunity to lead a healthier life”

AARP CEO A. Barry Rand delivered the following remarks at the White House announcement of a new agreement to substantially fill the Medicare Part D coverage gap:

“Thank you Mr. President.  AARP is proud to stand with you and Chairman Baucus and Senator Dodd to announce that the gap in Medicare’s drug coverage, known as the ‘doughnut hole,’ will be substantially filled for millions of middle income Americans as part of health reform.

“I want to applaud Chairman Baucus and Senator Dodd, who continue to be champions for this issue and have always fought for people struggling to make ends meet.  We are honored to stand with you today.

“Senator Baucus, your strong leadership of the Senate Finance Committee coupled with your creativity is what led to the development of this unique solution.  We also support your Finance Committee’s process and look forward with optimism to its next steps.

“Bottom line: without you, Chairman Baucus, we certainly would not be here today.

“When the President issued his clarion call for all parties to come together and address the issues of health care reform, AARP, representing over 40 million members, was proud to be one of the first to step forward.

“Today’s announcement will mean that struggling Americans who have been looking for help in their pocketbooks just to stay healthy, and who say that one of their single largest drivers of health care costs is prescription drugs—Americans in Medicare’s ‘doughnut hole’—will have their brand-name drug costs cut in half.  That’s a 50 percent reduction in drug costs.

“Too many Americans who fall into the coverage gap stop taking their medications because they simply cannot afford them.  They will now have a new opportunity to lead a healthier life.

“Mr. President, every American who is burdened by the high cost of health care or has inadequate access to our health care system—every business that is fighting to be competitive and save American jobs knows that health care reform cannot wait.

“This is an early win for reform and a major step forward.  It is a signal the process is working and will work.  But AARP is not done.  We will continue to work with you, Mr. President, and the House and the Senate to protect the people who rely on Medicare, to further lower drug costs, and to have guaranteed access to coverage for all Americans.

“Together, we will complete the mission for comprehensive health care reform.  Thank you for your leadership on this issue, Mr. President.”

For details on AARP’s health reform priorities, visit http://www.aarp.org/governmentwatch.

The following Editorial appeared in the Connecticut Post on May 26, 2009:

We know all about the problems.

As health care costs rise, policy holders find coverage increasingly unaffordable. Employers are having more trouble paying their own share of insurance costs. And the recession is growing the ranks of the uninsured, forcing more people to resort to emergency rooms for basic medical care.

The United States is far too wealthy a nation, and Connecticut too rich a state, to allow people to forego basic and preventative health care because they either don't have insurance or the plan they have won't cover their needs. By skipping regular checkups, health problems don't go away -- they simply become more serious and more costly.

Reform is in the offing. President Barack Obama has made health care a centerpiece of his agenda, and talks are under way for a wholesale rethinking of the nation's insurance system. But instead of waiting for Washington to move, state leaders are wisely going forward with a plan that could bring meaningful change by tackling the three pillars of health care reform -- coverage, cost and delivery.

The state House of Representatives last week approved a plan known as SustiNet that would open up state employees' health insurance to anyone in the state. Under the bill's parameters, no one could be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions, and everyone's risk would decline as more people enter the coverage pool.

This is not a plan to eliminate private coverage; by contrast, it's an additional competitor that could spur cost reductions across the spectrum. The plan emphasizes prevention rather than reaction, and also increases reimbursement rates for providers.

The easy argument against such a plan is cost, and with an out-of-control state budget deficit, that's where opponents are aiming. But such an argument ignores the fact we're already paying a high price -- no one is currently denied basic health care, but the costs are much higher than they need to be.

The state Senate is due to consider the bill in short order, and, should it pass, it's on to Gov. M. Jodi Rell, whose views on the matter are anyone's guess. But there is one certainty -- the system as it exists is unsustainable, and reform is unavoidable. This is a chance to help correct one of our most persistent challenges.

We're already paying the price. This is a chance to bring a degree of equity, and fairness, to an out-of-control system. The Senate should approve the bill and the governor should sign it.

AARP recently endorsed federal legislation introduced by Connecticut Congressman Joseph Courtney that would prohibit insurers from denying health insurance or delaying coverage for people with pre-existing health conditions.  The bill currently has 53 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives, including Connecticut Reps John Larson, Rosa DeLauro, and Christopher Murphy.

The following is an exerpt of AARP's letter to Courtney announcing the endorsement:

Dear Representatives Courtney and Ros-Lehtinen:

"AARP is pleased to endorse the Preexisting Condition Patient Protection Act of 2009 (H.R. 1558) to prohibit insurers from denying health insurance or delaying coverage for people with pre-existing health conditions. Barring insurers from denying coverage to those who need it most is essential forgiving all Americans access to affordable, quality coverage options. This is a critical component of the comprehensive health care reform effort that is AARP’s top legislative priority this year.

Under current law, insurers routinely deny coverage altogether, or charge higher rates and/or exclude coverage for a health condition to people with pre-existing conditions. This helps explain why, according to the AARP Public Policy Institute, 7.1 million -- or 13% -- of Americans aged 50-64 are uninsured, as most people in this age range have one if not several pre-existing conditions. In fact, insurance industry data show that insurers reject between 17% and 28% of applicants aged 50-64.

We thank you for your leadership on this important marketplace reform, and look forward to working with you to enact this legislation as part of comprehensive health reform this year to ensure that all Americans have affordable, quality coverage options."

If you would like to learn more about AARP's health reform priorities, please visit www.AARP.org/governmentwatch.