No Easy Solution in Reforming Health Care

Providing insurance for people ages 50 to 64 and narrowing Medicare Part D’s “doughnut hole” are two of AARP’s six priorities for reforming health care. Dr. Luciano Baca, a volunteer for AARP in New Mexico, went over the top six priorities during a seniors town hall on health care conducted in July by Rep. Martin Heinrich.

The passionate debate on health care reform currently being conducted in Washington D.C. is reflective of the debate taking place in cities and towns across the country. Participants at Rep. Heinrich’s town hall in Albuquerque had very definite opinions on health care without there seeming to be much room for compromise. At times the meeting became very contentious with people shouting over speakers, wanting their viewpoint to be heard.

AARP believes that its six priorities must be included in any legislation to make health care reform a success.

In addition to the two items listed above, AARP also seeks to lower drug costs through generic biologics; reducing costly hospital re-admissions through a Medicare follow-up benefit; improving long-term care systems so people can receive better home and community based services; and improve access and quality of care in the Medicare program.

Max Richtman, vice president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, who served as moderator of the event, tried to assure people that health care reform would not hurt Medicare.

“Health care reform is a raging debate in Washington because it affects so many people. We want to make sure health care reform doesn’t hurt those on Medicare and in fact will help them,” Richtman said.

But the audience didn’t appear at that point to be concerned with Medicare. There concerns seemed to follow the larger debates being discussed across the country—the public health option and that taxation of health benefits.

Rep. Heinrich said the most important part of reframing health care for him is making sure people had a choice in how they receive their care.

When asked point blank if he supported a public option, Heinrich replied “I support a public option.” He went on to say that a public option should be one avenue people have in obtaining health insurance.

“If you like the care you’re getting, you should be able to keep it. It should be about your choice. I don’t want to get between you and your doctor. I don’t want to get between you and your provider,” Rep. Heinrich said.

Heinrich’s response caused one woman to say that if a public option proposal moves forward private insurance would cease to exist.

Richtman said that wasn’t true, calling the position “scare tactics”.

“You have Medicare and do you have private insurance as well?  Yes you do,” he said.

When asked about taxing health-care benefits, Heinrich said, “I’m very resistant to taxing health care benefits. I’m hoping we can find better ways to fix health care and not single out one or two little groups.”