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The New Numbers: Health Insurance Reform Cannot Wait in West Virginia
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new analysis of last week's U.S. Census numbers regarding the uninsured. The results are sobering and confirm that health insurance reform cannot wait another year. Nationwide, the number of uninsured increased from 39.8 million in 2001 to 46.3 million in 2008.
"These numbers only serve to further confirm a reality that far too many American families live with every day," said Secretary Sebelius. "Our health care system has reached a breaking point. The status quo is unsustainable, and continuing to delay reform is not an option."
The analysis below underscores the urgency of health insurance reform for residents of West Virginia.
The status quo is not an option. The number of uninsured in West Virginia has increased from 226,000 in 2001 to 271,000 in 2008. The percent of non-elderly adults without insurance increased from 18.1% to 22.2%. And this number only considers people who are uninsured for an entire year - it does not include people in West Virginia who have more recently lost coverage through the recession, or who had shorter gaps in their coverage.
More workers are being left without protection from health care costs. Too many workers in West Virginia do not have health coverage, at 164,000 in 2008. And the proportion of workers from West Virginia without insurance has increased, from 19.3% in 2001 to 21.3% in 2008.
The problem of the uninsured is a problem that crosses income brackets. The new Census numbers also drive home the fact that everyone in West Virginia is vulnerable to losing health insurance. An additional 22,000 people from high-income households are now uninsured.
"In states across the country we've seen the health care coverage situation go from bad to worse," Secretary Sebelius added. "And it's clear that losing insurance isn't a problem that plagues only the poor or the unemployed - it could happen to anyone."
Rockefeller told reporters he was unhappy with the lack of a government-run "public" insurance option in the bill, which is scheduled to be made public on Wednesday, and had problems with some of its changes in children's health insurance and Medicaid, or healthcare for the poor.
"There is no way in its present form that I will vote for it," he told reporters.
But Rockefeller reiterated his previously stated concerns that Baucus's bill does too little to ensure that health insurance would be more affordable for middle-class families and that the measure does not adequately strengthen Medicaid and would transition too many kids from the Children's Health Insurance Program to private insurance.
snip
Rockefeller commented he will not vote for the Baucus bill during the committee markup that will begin next Tuesday unless the measure is changed in "vast amounts," he said.
Rockefeller may well get his wish. Baucus expects Finance Committee members to offer numerous amendments during the markup. After meeting with Baucus on Tuesday evening, several committee Democrats identified misgivings similar to Rockefeller's and made clear they expect the bill to undergo significant changes during the markup.
Rockfeller said he'll sponsor an amendment in committee to add a public option to the bill, and will have other amendments as well.
With an assist from Woodie Guthrie, Dr. Dan Doyle, a local physician from Fayette County, has written a new theme song for health care reform.
The following lyrics are sung to the tune of "This Land is Your Land" as heard in this video from a march in support of health care reform. The march occurred on Sept. 1, 2009 prior to a town hall meeting with Congressman Nick Joe Rahall (D-WV).
"This Plan is Your Plan" (Lyrics by Dr. Dan Doyle from Fayette Co. WV)
This plan is your plan, this plan is my plan,
Providing health care to all Americans.
From West Virginia to California,
This plan is what our people need.
Let's cover grandma, let's cover junior.
Every pregnant woman and injured worker.
Expose the lies of FOX and Limbaugh.
This plan is what our people need.
At the town hall meeting, Rep. Rahall expressed his strong support for a public option. If progressives work together that vision can become a reality.
I wonder why Charleston Newspapers never reported that Republican Rep. Joe Wilson (R-Loudmouth) and our very own Shelley Moore Capito (R-Hypocrite) actually BOTH voted in lockstep with Bush Rubberstampeders to provide federal funds for illegal immigrants' healthcare?
The rubberstamping Repub votes came during the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, which contained Sec. 1011. At that time, they authorized $250 million annually between 2003 and 2008 for government reimbursements to hospitals which provide treatment for uninsured illegal immigrants.
WV-01 Alan Mollohan: 49 percent for, 41 percent opposed
WV-02 Shelley Moore Capito: 46 for, 44 percent opposed
WV-03 Nick Rahall: 54 for, 37 percent opposed
...keeping people connected to the rest of the health care system is a better approach than discriminating against them based on income. (Congress would also discriminate against individuals and families based on income by keeping people on Medicaid separate from everyone else. This would be a mistake.)
Splitting family members among Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and other coverage as contemplated in proposed legislation now being considered by Congress may be disruptive to families and to their continuity of care.
This from the conservative Heritage Foundation, in reviewing WVU's report on West Virginia's revamped Medicaid program, Mountain Health Choices.
I'm thinking they really mean "abolish Medicaid, SCHIP, and all other government healthcare and put the poor on private insurance." But of course, putting everyone on a single publicly funded system would accomplish the same end of not "discriminating based on income."
The whole piece is cleverly done, a nice piece of "compassionate conservatism."
From a recent New American Foundation article by Steven Teles
...compassionate conservatism encouraged Republicans to present themselves as allies of the poor and minorities, and to insist that "liberal elites" in the Democratic party were the defenders of ineffective bureaucracies and a morally debased culture.
They give themselves away in the end, though, with
If critics think taking your child to the doctor, taking your medications, and avoiding the emergency room for routine care is "punitive," it only shows the absurdity of their attacks.
Real compassion would be aware of the disrepect in requiring a contract to do these sensible things (including "I will do my best to stay healthy") - the assumption that if you are eligible for Medicaid, you are too stupid, lazy, or depraved to take care of yourself and your children without some special incentive.
Great question from the West Virginia Democratic Party. Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito has a government paid for health plan. Is she better than the rest of us. From an email:
Where is Capito's Health Care Plan?
Recent Polling Shows a Large Majority Supporting Major Health Reform,
but Congresswoman Stays Silent
Charleston, W.Va. - West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Nick Casey today posed one simple question, "What is Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito's health care reform plan?"
Casey went on to note, "It is a simple, but important question and West Virginians deserve to know the answer."
While Congressmen Rahall and Mollohan have been meeting face-to-face with constituents discussing the need to improve health care throughout the last month, Congresswoman Capito has stayed mostly silent, only issuing one press release stating that she is against a public option.
Congress is returning from its August recess and will be focusing a great deal of time on health care reform this fall. "I think that we can all agree that we have major health care issues, in regards to affordability and accessibility," Casey said. "Since Congresswoman Capito works for the people of West Virginia and they overwhelming support health care reform, I encourage her to step off the sidelines and to get involved in this public debate. She needs to offer some ideas."
Recent polling released by Mark Blankenship Enterprises shows "61 percent of West Virginians want major health care reform passed in the next few months." Link
"It's clear West Virginians want this issue addressed now," Casey added. "Congressmen Rahall and Mollohan have traveled the state speaking to residents at town hall meetings. I join with my fellow West Virginians to await Congresswoman Capito's plans and ideas for positive action, just not simply stating what she is against."
I was talking to Clem this morning about the public option issue. He is more optimistic than I am. But this post at FireDogLake sums up well my thoughts on why the fight is more than about the one issue.
if Obama really does punt on the public option, it will be a disaster for him and for us. And not because of policy. No, this will be our Waterloo moment because emotional truth and actual truth will collide.
Those of us who feel the most passionately about this, the "left of the left" if you will (although, I live in Venice, there are people here who equate me with George Bush, honest to god), will see a President who did not respect, empower and include them. We will feel that we have no more voice in this administration than we did the last.That will be our emotional truth.
Worse, Republicans will see that bullying, being disruptive, and tapping into people's worst fears and instincts works, and will use it on each and every piece of legislation the White House tries to pass for the next 3 years. It's happening on climate change legislation now. Combine that with a disillusioned, disempowered activist left and I'm seeing damage to the Democratic Party well past the 2010 election cycle.
snip
That is what the fight over the public option is all about - it is not about policy. It's a proxy for the implied contract we entered into when we helped get Obama elected. We expected Change, we expected to be respected, empowered and included, we expected him to fight, and we expected to join him in that fight.
Wednesday night will be a promise kept or a promise broken. Either way, it will be our moment of truth.
WVAHC, in conjunction with nurses and several labor organizations, has scheduled an informational forum in Morgantown on Thursday, September 3. The forum will be held from 7 to 8:30 PM at South Middle School (direction are below).
"There has been a lot of mis-information about the reforms being considered by Congress," according to Perry Bryant, Executive Director of WVAHC. "The forum is an attempt to provide the public with factual information about what is in the bills, and what is not in the bills."
The public will hear short presentations from six panelist who represent different perspectives on health care reform. A question and answer period will follow these short presentations Panelist include:
Ruth Wagner, President of West Virginia AARP, with the perspective of senior citizens.
Former state Senator Jon Hunter on veterans issues.
David Cormier, Ph. D. with the WVU Institute for Labor Studies & Research, with a labor perspective.
Richard Iammarino, a retired physician, with one physicians viewpoint.
Sheryl Grossman with the perspective of people with disabilities.
Perry Bryant with a consumer perspective.
The forum is free and open to the public. Please feel free to circulate this email to others who you think may be interested. Thanks.
Health Care Reform and You:
An Informational Forum
Thursday, September 3, 2009
7 to 8:30 PM
South Middle School
Morgantown, West Virginia
Sponsored by: West Virginia Nurses Association
Mon - Preston Central Labor Council
AFSCME Local 3261
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care
Directions to South Middle School from Morgantown. Take Don Knotts Blvd. south towards the Mountaineer Mall. Turn left onto Greenbag Road. Go less than 1 mile, and turn left onto Mtec Road. Take an immediate right onto East Parkway Road, and South Middle School will be right in front of you.
Directions from I-68. Take Exit #1. At the end of the exit ramp turn towards Morgantown. Go approximately 2 miles, and turn right at the stop light onto Greenbag Road. Go less than a mile, turm left onto Mtec Road, take an immediate right onto East Parkway Road, and South Middle School will be right in front of you.
Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), the only senator to have served longer than the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), mourned his friend Wednesday, saying his "heart and soul weeps."
Byrd said he hoped healthcare reform legislation in the Senate would be renamed in memoriam of Kennedy.
"I had hoped and prayed that this day would never come," Byrd said in a statement. "My heart and soul weeps at the lost of my best friend in the Senate, my beloved friend, Ted Kennedy."
Byrd's wistful statement focused on the work accomplished with Kennedy during decades together in the Senate, and called on the healthcare bill before Congress to be renamed in honor of Kennedy.
"In his honor and as a tribute to his commitment to his ideals, let us stop the shouting and name calling and have a civilized debate on health care reform which I hope, when legislation has been signed into law, will bear his name for his commitment to insuring the health of every American," Byrd said.
Thank goodness we didn't make a big deal over warrantless wiretapping, corporate immunity, the politicization of the Department of Justice, the Blackwater murders, torture, extraordinary rendition, fraudulent rewriting of scientific reports, or blanket false public statements in an effort to sell the nation on a ruinous war -- all so we could store up enough political capital for this moment. Thank goodness we didn't sully ourselves with indictments or investigations; thank goodness we've kept the camaraderie of the Senate intact and not flown off, willy-nilly, and gotten angry with Senators who claim we are instituting "Death Panels" to weed out veterans and the elderly, or pushed too hard when members of the past administration flatly denied the ability of the Congress to so much as require their presence for questioning. Thank goodness we have not pressed to hard on whether Abu Ghraib abuses resulted from explicit direction of the highest figures in the Department of Defense, and that when we found out the waterboarding of a prisoner in order to come up with supposed "links" between Iraq and Al Qaeda was suggested specifically by the office of the Vice President, we knew well enough to let bygones be bygones, because we knew we would not want to expend our political capital on such trivial matters, when we were about to take on one of the most urgent domestic issues facing the nation.
Now, if we play our cards right, and with the help of our 60-seat Senate majority, we can boldly reinvigorate the collapsed American healthcare system by passing a "reform" bill that mandates everyone in America purchase underregulated products of record-profitable insurance companies that have proven unable to provide basic services to millions of Americans or even perform competent administration of their own products, but which provides only token efforts at reining in the worst of the worst abuses of the public by those companies. We need not provide any measure of "socialized" insurance, as most of the rest of the civilized world does. And we need not particularly worry about the poor and uninsured, because this is a recession, and it wouldn't be cost effective.
We couldn't do all the things that needed done so we could get what?
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