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Handy (Anchorage, AK)

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Handy's attempt at grassroots organizing to keep Alaskans informed about important adminstration policies, how to provide input on those polices, and how to suport their adoption and implementation.

Summary of June 12th Health Care meeting

By Handy - Jun 17th, 2009 at 4:32 pm EDT

I held a Neighborhood Health Care meeting on June 12th. Attendees included: Randy Virgin, DeeAnn Apgar, Mara and Marty Severin, Lex Patten, Linda Zaugg, Carly Horton, Susanne Fleek, Terry Umatum and a lot of rambuctious but well-behaved children.

Summary of issues:
1. Every person in the group had lived at some point in their life without healthcare coverage. The number one reason was cost.
2. Attendees who were self-employeed and purchased their own health care paid a high cost ($400+ per month) for plans that were essentially comprised of little mroe than catastrophic care. One attendee was forgoing a procedure to have a growth removed because it was too expensive - her deductible on her insurance was too high for it to make financial sense for her to go to the doctor.
3. Attendees were concerned to learn that in some cases, insurance coverage did not cross state lines. As a result, one couple lost medical coverage for themselves and their newborn when they moved to Alaska.
4. Even when medical assistance is available through state, federal or non-profit programs it is often hard to take advantage of due to the paperwork and a lack of knowlege that the programs are available.
5. Though the expectations of doctors for high salaries may be part of the cause of expensive health care, the group agreed that most doctors sacrifice a great deal during medical school in addition to the financial impact. There was agreement that doctors were deserving of high compensation. It was suggested that the federal goverment could assist doctors in paying off loans in exchange for free or discounted service or shortterm assignments in at-risk communities.
6. The group was concerned about the high cost of medical mal-practice insurance and indicated support of some sort of cap on awards on medical malpractice.
7. The lack of preventive medical care coverage in all but the best and most expensive insurance plans was noted as especially shortsighted. The group believe an investment in preventive care would lead to decreasing medical costs over time.
8. California was highlighted as an example where the problems of poverty and the uninsured will be compounded as the State makes deep cuts into community services. The group predicted that there would be a great increase in the number of patients ending up in the ER for care which would increase costs to hospitals, creating a catch-22 situation.
9. The group was especially concerned about the health care available to pregnant women, children and the elderly.
10. The group noted that public inebriates were a special problem in Anchorage that strained the system. Because of the lack of preventive services and programs at the state and federal level, local first responders and local governments are forced to bear most of the costs of serving this needy and demanding population -- often to the detrmiment of other citizens.

CONCLUSION/ACTION ITEMS:
Though the goal of the meeting was to develop and participate in a community-based health care project on June 27, 2009 this group seemed more interested in the policy development and political aspects of this debate. Most in the group were interested in ensuring that the House and Senate subcommittees produce a viable piece of legislation that includes a public plan component. To that end the group was interested in the following actions:
1. Track the legislation develop through House and Senate subcommittees. We're not sure how to do this and may contact Begich's office for assistance. In the same vein, the group wishes for a better understanding of what the actual policies are and what the timeline for approval will look like.
2. Ensure that both Senators from Alaska vote to support health care reform that guarentees choice, reduces costs and provides affordable healthcare options to all Americans. A letter-writing, emailing campaign is probably in order.
3. Ensure that communications with our Senators includes an emphasis on prevention, using the public inebriate impact on Anchorage as a prime example.

As a result, the group will develop a letter-writing campaign and will begin outreach on that process the week of June 21. More information on this will follow.

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