State legislators work to find solution to health care crisis

By STACY MILLBERG - Staff Writer - smillberg@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

November 11, 2007 12:32 am

— ASHTABULA — State legislators and activists are working toward trying to solve the health care crisis in the state.
Sen. Capri Cafaro, (D-Hubbard), State Rep. George Distel, (D-Conneaut), Semanthie Brooks of Senior Voice and the Benjamin Rose Institute, Dave Pavlick of United Auto Workers union and representatives from Congressman Steven LaTourette’s and Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s offices addressed the issue Saturday morning at People Missionary Baptist Church during a panel discussion. The meeting was sponsored by the Ashtabula County AFL-CIO-CLC, the Ashtabula County AFL-CIO Retiree’s Council, and the Ashtabula County NAACP.
There are millions of people in the country without health insurance, Distel said. According to a survey conducted by the Ashtabula County Department of Jobs and Family Services, in 2004, 49 percent of county residents had health care either private or commercial; 18 percent utilized Medicare; 15 percent were covered under Medicaid; and 13 percent of county residents were uninsured, he said.
“How do you tackle a moving
freight train?” Distel asked. “Because that is really what we are trying to do here.”
Distel has been working at the state level to improve the current health care situation and said some headway was made in this year’s state budget.
“Although we didn’t get exactly where we wanted to, we did make some gains in the budget,” he said. “I think eventually we will have coverage for every person in the state of Ohio.”
One way activists have come up with to solve the current health care situation is the Health Care For All Ohioans Act. The plan would provide coverage for the full range of inpatient and outpatient hospital care, preventative care, mental health, vision, hearing, prescription drugs, dental, emergency situations, rehabilitation services, hospice care, home care, health maintenance care, medical devices and all other necessary medical services as determined by any state licensed, certified or registered health care practitioner, according to information provided by Single-Payer Action Network Ohio (SPAN Ohio).
Coverage would be provided regardless of income or employment status, there would be no premiums, co-payments or deductibles. Payments to health care providers for all covered services would be made from a single public fund. The plan would be funded by a payroll tax paid by employers, not to exceed 3.85 percent; a gross receipts tax on businesses, not to exceed 3 percent; income tax increases limited only to those earning more than the social security tax cap, which in 2007 is $97,000 per year; a 5 percent surtax on adjusted gross income more than $200,000; $11.6 billion in administrative cost savings; and funds from government sources, according to SPAN Ohio.
Since health care bills will be paid from a single public fund, insurance companies will no longer have a role in the system and the billions of dollars in profits they take from it will go instead for patient care, Pavlick said.
Activists are working on getting signatures on an initiative petition. With 122,000 signatures, the Health Care For All Ohioans Act will be presented to legislators. If state legislators fail to act on it, an additional 122,000 signatures will get it placed on the ballot for the people to vote on, Pavlick said.
“We don’t have a functioning health care system in this country,” he said. “We have a barely functioning sick care plan.”
There also are several House Bills and Senate Bills legislators are working on getting passed to help the crisis. Brooks said Senate Bill 2219 and House Bill 3932 will do a number of things to fix the situation. The bills will address the overpayment concern with Medicare and also establish a prescription drug plan with a premium everyone can afford, she said.
“We have to get those bills passed by the end of the year,” she said. “If we do not pass legislation by Dec. 31, 2007, the physician reimbursement rate will decrease. The legislation will stop the cut for physicians come Jan. 1. Privatization in health care is not going to work for us.”
Steve Inchak of Kucinich’s office said traditional Medicare is very efficient, quality-wise and quantity-wise. The Conyers/Kucinich Bill which Kucinich has been working on, would provide enhanced and improved Medicare for everyone, he said.
Passage of the bill would provide comprehensive health insurance coverage for all U.S. residents without co-payments, premiums and deductibles. It would allow people to choose from any participating doctor, public or private. Physicians and health professionals would be paid based on services rendered or by salary and the cost would be the same amount the nation is currently spending on health care overall, which is about $2.2 trillion a year, Inchak said.
Distel said it is important for constituents to let legislators know what is on their minds.
“Whether it happens by ballot initiative or legislative initiative, sometimes our hands need to be forced,” he said. “By working together we can get there.”