Educational Program on Affordable Care Act Held

Information submitted by Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action.

More than 100 people attended a public panel discussion about health care reform and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library on Tuesday, Oct. 15. The meeting was organized by Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action (NWSOFA), a nonpartisan volunteer organization dedicated to advancing progressive policies. Christine Johanson Ross and Bill Davis of NWSOFA served as moderators.

U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, in a written statement read to the group, said, "It is so important that people learn about the insurance marketplace and how they can benefit from it. For far too long, too many Illinoisans have been locked out of affordable health care coverage, been forced to pay sky-high premiums, or been stuck with insurance policies that don't cover pre-existing conditions and the care they need. GetCoveredIllinois.gov will provide those who are uninsured and those who are underinsured with affordable options, ensure that essential benefits are covered, and eliminate caps on lifetime and annual benefits. Women and people with ongoing health needs will no longer be charged more or denied coverage. Almost 1.3 million Illinoisans may qualify for either premium tax credits to help purchase coverage in the Marketplace or be able to enroll in Medicaid."

Andrew Kurz, a former Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wisconsin, pointed out that the United States spends 18 percent of its GDP on health care, which is more than twice as much as other developed countries, but tens of millions of people are not covered, a press release stated.

Under the ACA, Kurz said, people with incomes below the poverty level will be eligible for Medicaid. Those who have health insurance through their employers will continue to do so. Uninsured people with somewhat higher incomes (up to 400 percent of the poverty level) can obtain subsidized insurance through an exchange. Those earning more will have more choices through the exchange.

Giovanni Gomez, Regional Coordinator for the Illinois Marketplace, said that most of the benefits the 1.6 million uninsured people in Illinois. Seniors, who continue to be covered by Medicare, will now receive preventive care with no deductible or copay. The "donut hole" is being closed. Gomez explained that uninsured people should go to GetCoveredIllnois.gov. Gomez said that Illinois is working to create a "culture of coverage." Most of the uninsured have never had health insurance. The state is working with libraries and not-for-profits to educate people about their health care options. Open enrollment started Oct. 1 and will end March 31.

About 1.7 million people visited healthcare.gov the first day. This shows the great demand for health insurance. Gomez said that getting people covered is expected to be a five-year process; everyone won't be covered the first day, or the first year. Gomez said that people speaking a variety of languages are available to help people apply for insurance, a press release from Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action stated.

Michael Koetting, Deputy Director for Planning and Reform for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Medicaid Reform Implementation, said there people will get covered through the marketplace, the other half through Medicaid. Many poor people are now eligible for Medicaid for the first time. More than 30,000 Illinois residents who were not previously eligible have signed up for Medicaid. Koetting said that about 100,000 people have signed up for CountyCare. They are covered by Medicaid immediately and will continue to be covered after Jan. 1, the press release stated.

Dr. Ram Krishnamoorthi, a physician at Hines VA Hospital and a professor at Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, said that "we have some of the greatest health care in the world" but "that medical care is not accessible to all people." Doctors and hospitals don't have access to each other's records.

The majority of our health care costs arise from chronic diseases. 8.3 percent of the U.S. population have diabetes, and that percentage is increasing. He discussed the behavioral and systemic factors that contribute to those costs. Many of these problems can be alleviated by early intervention and preventive care. Tens of thousands of people die annually due to inadequate medical care. There are geographical, racial, and economic differences. Insurance increases likelihood of early and preventive care.

About $40 million will be spent promoting healthier habits. Money spent on preventive care will save much more money in the long term. The VA has been doing this for years. The ACA will "start holding doctors accountable for outcomes." He said it is "not true" that physicians are dropping or refusing Medicare patients. The ACA has tripled the number of National Health Service doctors going into underserved, rural communicates. Dr. Krishnamoorthi is Illinois Director of Doctors for America, a group of more than 15,000 physicians and medical students who consider the ACA a "giant leap forward" in American health care. The American Medical Association, which opposed previous health care reform proposals, supports the ACA. Societies of specialists also have officially endorsed the ACA. Mental health treatment is covered.  Dental and vision coverage is required for children but not for adults.

Linda Preston told her own story of dealing with health care in America. About 15 years ago, she was diagnosed with kidney cancer. She was operated on successfully, but she lost her health insurance. She was told, "If you have cancer, you have no right to health insurance." Her son has Down Syndrome. She was told he had no right to health insurance. Eventually, she was covered by the Illinois high-risk insurance pool, for which she paid tens of thousands of dollars until she became eligible for Medicare. After earning her degree, she could not find a job because employers would not hire her because of the cost of health insurance.

Christine Johanson Ross, one of the organizers of the meeting and the leader of NWSOFA's health care action team, said, "We were thrilled by the turnout for this meeting. It shows that people in the northwest suburbs want to hear the facts, not just political spin."