Patrick Murphy
Teletown Hall Meeting
September 16, 2009
I was taking notes by hand and could not catch everything. If you have questions on the congressman’s views you should contact his office. Apologies in advance for any errors or misconceptions.
Pat Walker, editor of the Bucks County Courier Times and the Doylestown Intelligencer, moderated the call. Ray Landis of AARP joined Murphy on the call.
Murphy started with the story of a woman whose father died because he couldn’t get private insurance and so was waiting for treatment until he was old enough to get Medicare. Murphy mentioned an article in today’s Inquirer on a new report from the Kaiser Foundation [blogger's note: I think it is "Health-care costs still outpace inflation, study shows," by Stacey Burling)
There are 60,000 people in Bucks County with no health insurance. The proposed legislation would provide an annual and lifetime cap on out of pocket expenses, prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, and close the donut hole. These reforms will protect seniors.
Q1: If a scientific poll showed that the majority of the residents in the 8th congressional district were against the bill would you vote against it?
PM: I am keeping track of the comments coming in to the office and so far most want reform.
Q2: Caller is on social security disability. Has a young adult daughter but can’t put her on my medicare.
PM: I found funding for a clinic near where the caller lives. It would cost over a thousand dollars if your daughter went to the ER but only about $50 for her to go to a clinic for an appointment.
Q3: tort reform
PM: I want tort reform. Only claims that have merit should be brought.
Q4: Does AARP support this bill?
PM: AARP has endorsed components of the bill. Defer to Ray Landis of AARP.
Ray Landis: The AARP wants to close the donut hole; parts of HB 3200 are very good. We are closely examining the bill and will continue to look out for our members.
Q5: small business owner. Will my costs go down if I don’t have to pay for the uninsured.
PM: Yes, small business tax exemption, up to 50%. The average cost is $1300, would be a $600 tax credit.
Q6: question on caller’s insurance coverage
PM: health insurance companies should be able to compete across state lines.
Q7: Families that earn over $60K, a family of 4, would not get a subsidy. How will we afford insurance?
PM: There is a small business tax incentive. The northeast has a higher cost of living so the cut off for subsidies is $88K for a family of 4; it isn’t free but a subsidy.
Q8: Is Medicare affected?
PM: The bill actually makes medicare more sustainable. It closes the donut hole, preserves choice of doctor, silver sneaker program for preventive health care. The AARP would not support a bill that would hurt seniors. Cut waste and abuse (refers to IMPROVE bill)
Q9: Will this create more bureaucratic agencies? Heard there would be more than 50 new ones.
PM: changing and tweaking; making voluntary boards more efficient. Blue Dog Democrats want government to work more efficiently.
Q10: believe in health care reform but don’t see the need for rush
PM: Fighting against special interests. Did not want to vote on the bill before the August recess. Closing the donut hole is a priority. The country has been debating health care for decades.
Q11: Need tweaking of system but illegal aliens should not have access to the system and we should have hearings with insurance companies.
PM: On insurance companies – met with [name] of Independence Blue Cross, want to work with them but they have to play fair. He agreed that we need reform. On illegal aliens, the bill specifically states that no federal funds will be used for illegal aliens.
Q12: Explain how paying for this by raising taxes on the wealthy doesn’t hurt small businessmen, whose taxes might be raised.
PM: If a company has under $750K in payroll and doesn’t provide health care there wouldn’t be a problem, but if more than 25 employees, would get a 60% subsidy to provide insurance. In 8th congressional district up to 1800 small businesses could get help with coverage.
Q13: small businessman. Love a lot of reform but public option is an obstacle
PM: The Senate bill doesn’t have a public option and still all the Republicans voted against it. Insurance companies need to give in here. Have only a limited number of federal dollars. Only $2 million for public option, over 10 years. Congressional Budget Office says only 5% of the population will go into it.
Q14: The issue is jobs not health care.
PM: We have great medical schools, great doctors, need to keep it in private market. Businesses struggle because of medical costs. Lockheed pays $14K per employee for health care; they can’t afford it with co-pays, etc. We need tort reform, to close the donut hole, help small businesses. It costs over a thousand dollars for someone who is uninsured to go to the emergency room.
Ray Landis: on local school board. Property taxes affect everyone and the costs of providing health insurance to school employees increases property taxes.
Q15: Money taken from Medicare but won’t affect Medicare?
PM: Doctors have to use direct deposit to avoid fraud. The majority of the funding for the bill is from private industries. The pharmaceutical industries are providing 10% of the total. Hospitals are stepping up because of reducing Medicare costs. Lower Bucks County gives away an average of $10 million in medical care to the uninsured. They would like to reduce this.
Ray Landis: Medicare costs – cut hospital readmissions would save Medicare millions a year. Require hospitals to give some after care but more would be saved by preventing hospital readmissions.
Q16: Why are people opposed to the public option?
PM: Some people are afraid of government, and want to keep the status quo. The public option is a choice, funding at $2 million over 10 years. Health care is a personal and emotional issue.
Q17: Problem with Obama saying you can keep your insurance if you like it. Can an employer pay an 8% payroll tax and force me into the public option?
PM: Employers right now have a choice to cover you or not. Some do, some don’t. We need an incentive to help small businesses and say to large employers, you have to provide health care or pay.
Closing remarks: thanks Pat Walker and Ray Landis.
The only thing not on the table is the status quo. We must achieve this reform together.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Patrick Murphy Teletown Hall Meeting on Health Care
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2 comments:
Its time to re-examine instant citizenship (Anchor babies) which hasn't been illuminated enough, to growing concern of the American public. For decades now pregnant women have arrived on tourist’s visas, through the fence and even at ports of call. Very aware of our mis-interpreted law governing "birthright citizenship", that attributes full rights to the Mother of an illegal immigrant. How can Americans benefit from this Health care reform package, when we must subsidize millions of households and not just the original interloper? Outlined in the spring issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons is an article that will stun a prudent person. An illegal alien entered the states in 1997 to work as a fruit picker, bringing with him his wife and three children; all illegal aliens.
The lady gave birth to a fourth child, and with that birth the family had an "anchor baby"—an American citizen by birth, who provided the entire family with a free pass to remain in the United States permanently and collect government, subsides. Unfortunately the baby was born prematurely, spent three months in the neonatal incubator, and cost the San Joaquin Hospital more than $300,000. Meanwhile, the oldest daughter married an illegal alien and gave birth to her own anchor baby, and then Cristobal’s wife gave birth to yet another baby. ALL PAID FOR BY—YOU!
This is just one taxpayer example of the 'Rule of law' that has cost taxpayers billions of dollars. A nurse admitted last weekend, according to Review-Journal reported that cash-strapped UMC hospital in Nevada is providing more than $20 million a year in emergency dialysis care for uninsured, illegal immigrants. Is American society insane when poverty stricken Americans are turned away, go bankrupt and sometimes die? TAXPAYERS ARE TAXED FOR THIS, BUT NOT FOR OUR OWN PEOPLE? We must insist that a Birthright Citizenship lawsuit be filed with the federal court and its original intent revisited? That E-Verify should be fully funded and a highly skilled MIT team, building on the original Immigration enforcement database to a highest level of security that cannot be compromised by the use of fraudulent documents.
Brittanicus,
I reviewed the articles in the spring 2009 issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons and no such article is there. I reviewed the articles in the summer and fall issues. Nope. I reviewed the articles in the spring 2008 issue. Nope. Either you just made it up out of whole cloth or you are repeating something someone else told you. Either way you are wrong.
Given that your facts are suspect I am not posting the other comment you wanted to attach to this blog entry -- the one with the phone number you wanted everyone to call. I don't have the time to fact check everything in your comments and given the complete falsehood of what you have here I'll just assume your other comment is also factually challenged. Please take your act somewhere else.
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