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June 17, 2009
- Help Congress Get Healthcare Reform Right!
- Medicare Tapped for Savings To Help Cover Reform Costs
- H.E.L.P. Finance and Healthcare Update
- Do You Have a Quarter of a Million Dollars To Pay for Your Healthcare?
- AFT Retirement Committee Focuses on Healthcare Reform
- Study: Daytime Sleepiness in Seniors Is Not a Normal Part of Aging
- AFT Offers New Major Medical Catastrophic Plan
- Quote of Note
- Web site of the Week
HELP CONGRESS GET HEALTHCARE REFORM RIGHT!
Members of Congress are crafting a long-overdue plan to reform our healthcare system. So now is the time to share your views with your members of Congress. Send them a letter urging them to craft a healthcare reform plan that will ensure high-quality and affordable healthcare, but will not tax our employer-provided health insurance. For more information, visit the AFT's "Fight for America's Future: It's Dollars and Sense" Web site.
MEDICARE TAPPED FOR SAVINGS TO HELP COVER REFORM COSTS
President Obama is recommending a package of additional Medicare and Medicaid spending reductions totaling $313 billion over 10 years to help pay for healthcare reform legislation now making its way through Congress. The cuts are seen as a way to raise money for overhauling the healthcare system and covering millions of the uninsured. The new savings, which the president discussed in his weekly radio address June 13, include $110 billion from productivity adjustments to the payments of Medicare providers. A big chunk of the savings from Medicare under the Obama fiscal 2010 budget, released in February, would come from introducing a competitive bidding system for Medicare Advantage plans in which plan payments would be based on an average of plans' bids submitted to Medicare. This change would save $177 billion over 10 years. The proposal, which includes potential cuts to hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and other providers, also underscores the political delicacy of the administration's search for money for a massive healthcare overhaul. The cuts come on top of Medicare and Medicaid revisions Obama requested earlier this year in his fiscal 2010 budget proposal; together with those cuts the White House is now proposing a total of $622 billion in Medicare and Medicaid revisions over 10 years, most of it from Medicare. Combined with earlier cuts, OMB director Peter Orszag said the administration has identified nearly $950 billion worth of savings. Many observers believe reform will cost at least $1 trillion over that time period. Obama and congressional leaders both say health reform should be fully funded.
H.E.L.P. FINANCE AND HEALTHCARE UPDATE
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee June 9 released a 615-page draft health reform bill that sets the stage for expanding Medicaid eligibility, requiring an individual coverage mandate and an employer mandate ("pay or play"), instituting heightened regulation of private health insurance plans and creating a new public health insurance plan option. Major business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Federation of Independent Businesses, oppose both the employer mandate and the public plan proposals, while unions, including the AFT and AFL-CIO, strongly support a strong public plan option and employer mandate with a "pay or play" requirement. The draft of the Affordable Health Choices Act lacks final language on many key provisions including a public plan option and an employer mandate to provide coverage. Those provisions are expected to be the subject of continued discussions with Republicans before and during a two-week committee mark-up scheduled to begin June 16, Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) told reporters June 9. On June 19 the House Ways and Means Committee will release its proposal to finance healthcare reform; while the Senate Finance Committee also plans to release details of their healthcare reform bill. The HELP bill aims to make numerous changes to the regulation of private health insurance plans, including guaranteed issue of policies. It also would expand Medicaid eligibility to individuals with annual incomes up to 150 percent of poverty and establish a state-based insurance exchange. The legislation also includes numerous provisions to improve the quality of care and expand delivery of preventive services, increase the health workforce, and fight healthcare fraud and abuse. Dodd said he hoped the committee would finish the bill before Congress adjourns for its July 4 recess.
DO YOU HAVE A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS TO PAY FOR YOUR HEALTHCARE?
Fidelity Investments, the mutual fund company, has calculated a retiree healthcare cost estimate annually since 2002. The estimate is for post-Medicare expenses for a 65-year-old-couple retiring this year without employer-provided retiree healthcare. The Boston Globe reports that this year's estimate, a staggering $240,000, is a 6.7 percent increase from last year. Over-the-counter medications, long-term care and most dental services are not included.
AFT RETIREMENT COMMITTEE FOCUSES ON HEALTHCARE REFORM
The AFT committee on retirement and retirees brought healthcare front and center at its May 28-29, 2009, meeting in Washington. The 21-member group, which meets twice a year, heard Bill Cunningham of AFT federal legislation discuss Congress's efforts to improve the healthcare system and AFT's fundamental goals for healthcare reform: a public plan option, no taxation of health benefits, a high-quality, affordable plan built on the existing employer-based system and improved staffing levels at hospitals to improve the quality of care and reduce medical errors. Darrell Capwell of AFT political and legislative mobilization described the union's timeline for action, a compressed calendar starting in June and, if Congress follows the schedule outlined, completed votes in both House and Senate by early August. A conference committee would then reconcile both bills in September, with the bill signed in October. Capwell outlined several ways AFT activists could participate in the lightning campaign, including e-mail, postcards and telephoning congressional offices, becoming an AFT e-activist, visiting House and Senate members during the July 4 recess and participating in lobby days in Washington. Check with your local union or state federation or visit the AFT Web site to see how you can participate. The AFT plans a major lobbying effort July 14 at the union's QuEST conference. AFT general counsel David Strom reviewed the limitations of retiree voting rights within affiliates. The major takeaways were that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), followed by most state labor laws governing public sector employees, has ruled that retirees should not have voting rights, either as local union delegates or local union executive board members on contractual issues. Retirees maintain voting rights as board members of state federations and state and national convention delegates, with the extent of such rights ultimately determined by the bylaws and constitution of each affiliate and the national union. The union continues to work to get locals to report retirees, the key to maintaining lifetime membership.
STUDY: DAYTIME SLEEPINESS IN SENIORS IS NOT A NORMAL PART OF AGING
A new study suggests that seniors over 65 cope better with sleep loss than adults under the age of 30. During the study, in which participants were kept awake for 26 consecutive hours, seniors were less impaired by sleep deprivation and had fewer unintentional sleep episodes. The study, published by the American Geriatrics Society, suggests that seniors who unintentionally fall asleep during the day or early evening should consult their doctor.
AFT OFFERS NEW MAJOR MEDICAL CATASTROPHIC PLAN
AFT + member benefits is now offering a new Major Medical Catastrophic Plan that covers 100 percent of qualified expenses up to $2 million for three years after either a $25,000 or $50,000 deductible has been met. The deductible is based on actual expenses rather than out-of-pocket costs. The plan can be purchased by any AFT member in good standing up to age 75, although once initiated the member can continue coverage by paying the premium beyond age 75. This benefit can also be applied to family members although it must be purchased by an AFT member. Coverage includes modest nursing home and home care benefits for those who cannot perform three or more Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). For more information, call toll free at 888/423-8700.
"These savings will come from common sense changes. For example—if more Americans are insured, we can cut payments that help hospitals treat patients without health insurance. If the drug makers pay their fair share, we can cut government spending on prescription drugs. And if doctors have incentives to provide the best care instead of more care, we can help Americans avoid the unnecessary hospital stays, treatments, and tests that drive up costs."
President Barack Obama
Radio Address
June 13, 2009
WEB SITE OF THE WEEK:
http://www.newsobserver.com/lifestyles/story/1532594.html
Charlotte News Observer article "Sex and the Seniors" looks at older people and the dating game. For those who have lost spouses or partners, dating again after up to 40 years can be quite daunting. Read about three people's different views, personal advice and experiences.
Contributors and sources: Bill Cunningham, Lauren Luchi, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, CQ Politics, BNA Healthcare Daily Report, Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert, Kaiser Health Policy Report. Frank Stella, editor; Mary Boyd, copy editor; Janelle Bowe, design.
