What does Health Care Reform Mean to You?

Source: AARP.org

All across the nation, in newspapers and on the radio and television, Americans everywhere are hearing about health care reform.

In the Virgin Islands we are also hearing discussions among our politicians and health care officials about the need to make changes in how health care is accessed, delivered and financed. Everyone is talking about it but, just what do they mean by “health care reform”?

Are they talking about more care, less costly care, better quality care? And, exactly how do they plan to bring about these changes?
 
To the average Virgin Islander, health care reform might mean being able to see a doctor sooner or have a procedure done quicker. This is what is meant by improved access to care.

To another Virgin Islander, it might mean the ability to participate in an affordable insurance program or qualify for a government program that would help pay for health care. This is what is meant by improved affordability of care.

For the most part, each person is going to answer the question based on their personal experiences with our health care system.

But the real meaning of health care reform must be far more comprehensive than just these two objectives.

At AARP we feel that any reform to America’s health care system, which includes the hospitals, clinics, labs, pharmacies and doctors within the Virgin Islands, must include the following six critical components:

1 - Guaranteed access to affordable coverage for Americans age 50-64;
2 - Closing the Medicare Part D coverage gap or “doughnut hole”;
3 - Creating a Medicare transition benefit to help people safely return to their homes after a hospital stay and prevent costly hospital readmissions;
4 - Increasing federal funding and eligibility for home and community based services through Medicaid so older Americans can remain in their homes and avoid more costly institutions as they age;
5 - Creating a pathway for the approval of generic versions of biologic drugs to reduce the price of these costly treatments; and
6 - Improving the Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low Income Subsidy (LIS) so more Americans can afford the health care and prescription drugs they need.  

As members or volunteers of AARP, we want you to know the full scope of what must be included to develop solutions to the health care problems that have plagued millions of Americans. So, if anyone asks what health care reform is all about, we, at AARP, hope that our members will be sure to mention the six critical items that we have identified as part of the answer. 

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