| The panelists then gave their stories, which included how one small business that used to offer generous perks to its employees, including "Cadillac" style health insurance, has seen those premiums increase each year by 15~20%, so that now only catastrophic coverage is offered - including to the business owner.
There is the man that went in for a pre-approved colonoscopy, and while his doctor was performing it, he found and removed a polyp. This had not been approved, and the claim was denied.
Dr. Lash spoke of her practice, a large one based in Bangor with a clinic in Presque Isle, and of a patient whose insurer wouldn't cover the cost of his medication for epilepsy, and so a less expensive - and less efficacious - one was prescribed. He had a seizure, fell, dislocated his shoulder, and fixing that cost as much as one year's supply of the more expensive drug. Dr. Lash noted that in a recent survey of members of the Maine Medical Association, a majority are in favor of universal health care.
There is the woman whose business can only afford to provide high deductible insurance, and who now finds herself over a hundred thousand dollars in debt. She and her husband pay over $2,200 a month for such coverage.
Mr. Haily told of how he can only pay his employees a wage that is barely livable, and how some have asked him to pay them less or reduce their hours so that they can continue to qualify for Maine Care, our state's Medicaid system. "I don't have ten dollars an hour to pay them; I can't afford ten dollars an hour in health insurance."
There is the woman that suffered cervical cancer while she was in her twenties, and how she has had to string jobs together for fear of creating a gap in health insurance coverage, in case the cancer came back.
In a response to a question from the audience, Sec. Sibelius noted that currently 8 cents of every dollar spent on health care in our country is spent on preventative care, while 75 cents is spent treating chronic diseases. She also noted that H.R. 3200 does include funding for prevention, and that the Recovery Act does as well.
Update:There was a brief media opportunity afterward, in which three questions were asked to Sec. Sebelius. I had the last one, and provide the transcript below (yes, I know I sound stupid - I'm an architect, not a journalist!):
DIRIGO BLUE: It was reported this morning that part of the bargaining with Olympia Snowe is to use the trigger for the public option - is that being discussed in the White House?
SEC. SEBELIUS: I really don't know, I haven't been part of those conversations. I know it's something Sen. Snowe is very interested in, and I don't know the other side of that conversation.
She, and Sen. Collins and your two members of Congress have been incredibly important in this debate moving forward. I think that Maine has thoughtful ideas based on a lot of leadership that has gone on here in the state...I've worked with your governor, and it's one of the states that we're looking to for examples. |
DIRIGO BLUE is available as an