Fire in the Wind

I recently went to the town hall meeting on healthcare where my district's congressperson, Mark Souder, listened to comments and answered questions about the proposed healthcare bill and healthcare reform in general.  It was a frustrating and almost frightening experience being that I live in a very conservative district.  The Republican and proud evangelical, Mark Souder has been this district's representative for most of my life.  Even my fairly conservative family is sick of this guy, but the Democrats seem to be hardly trying to find a serious challenger. 

Anyway, enough bitching about Mark Souder.  That's not the point of this post.  I was one of many people who spoke at the townhall meeting.  (To Mark Souder's credit, he did allow every person who wanted to talk to speak and the meeting that started at 7pm went past 11pm and not a single person was cut off) The majority of speakers were avidly against healthcare reform and especially the "public option."  I spoke in favor of it.  I also said that I had Crohn's disease. 

My remarks and my story caught the interests of a local health reporter and she asked for my name and contact information.  Last night she sent an email with a few questions.  I have no idea if any of what I sent her will be in her article, but since I took the time to respond to her, I thought I would post my response for people who are interested to read. 

-----

    You mentioned at the town hall mtg. that you have Crohn's disease.
    1. When were you diagnosed?

 
I was diagnosed in Feb 2002 at the age of 19 during my sophomore year in college after having severe symptoms for nearly a year. 

    2. How has the disease impacted your life in terms of working, or going to school or every day activities? (I have done numerous stories on Crohn's and know how debilitating it can be).


I could probably write book on this question alone, but I'll try to keep this brief.

My daily life is very different from the average person.  I must try to always be aware of my health and make good decisions accordingly, but not let myself be emotionally and mentally consumed by it.  I have to be conscious of my limits while at the same time not be bitter or depressed by them.  I'm fatigued most of the time and have sudden attacks of pain and stomach upset.

Earning my undergraduate degree was difficult.  I had to reduce my course load per semester accepting that I would not finish in the traditional 4 years.   My grades were very up and down.  I never had a vacation; I was always finishing "incompletes" that I had from falling behind due to Crohn's.  However, I did eventually earn my degree (B.S in Architectural Engineering) in 2006.

I worked throughout college within my field of study, so I found a job pretty fast after college, but I physically could not keep up with the full-time hours, and the long commute on public transportation was particularly fatiguing.  I was also becoming depressed from my health and being unhappy with my job.  I couldn't support myself financially and moved back home with my parents in March 2007. 

The greatest impact Crohn's had on me was psychological.  All I ever wanted to be was independent, and Crohn's disease has taken that from me.  I still struggle with depression and anxiety from worrying that at any moment my fragile health could take a turn for the worse or that I may never be able to support myself financially.  I am still living with my mother and currently work part-time stocking at a retail store.  I have recently started taking classes at IPFW in hopes to find a career that might better suite me and be more accommodating for my health.

    3. Did you say you have the HIP (Healthy Indiana Plan) or you cannot obtain it (I am aware that there are no "slots" available now for single adults)?

I have ICHIA (Indiana Comprehensive Health Insurance Association).  Admittedly, I am confused as to how this is related to HIP, but apparently it is different.  ICHIA is primarily for the "uninsurable" with pre-existing conditions who are losing their group insurance and have been denied a private insurance plan from other insurers.  My COBRA insurance ran out in May this year and ICHIA was my only option.  I pay high monthly premiums.  Read a little more about ICHIA here: http://healthinsuranceinfo.net/getinsured/indiana/individual-health-plans/indiana-comprehensive-health-insurance-association-ichia/

    4. How much do your prescriptions cost per month? HIP cover them, (assuming you are on HIP)?

My biggest expense is for Remicade which I get by infusion every 8 weeks and cost a little over $4000 per dosage.  ICHIA only covers 80% of that cost.  With my current insurance my other prescriptions cost me about $36 a month.  Luckily, I am not taking any expensive prescription drugs besides Remicade.  I average 2-3 doctors visits a month which vary from $20 to $100 per visit depending on the doctor.

    5. What are your thoughts about a public option within the h.c. reform plan? People are concerned this will cause employers to no longer make available employer-sponsored plans but some analysts suggest that the plan be only for people who cannot qualify for Medicaid/Medicare and have no access to employer-based (are self-employed or work for small businesses). The plans would be required to offer comparable benefits as private plans.

I think there is a need for a public option on a national scale.  ICHIA has been available in Indiana since 1981 and has yet to have an impact on employer's benefits.  Benefits have been dropping over the years, but I believe that has more to do with lack of options for the working insured.  People have no choice but to accept the meager insurance or HMO that their employer is gracious enough to offer.

The "public option" that you describe in your question is basically what ICHIA is: for those who don't qualify for Medicare/Medicaid but have no access to group benefits.  However, this "option" is little more than a last-resort/no-where-else-to-turn desperate measure and not an alternative at all.  It is not, nor ever would be, in competition with private insurers.  My current premium rates are fairly exorbitant and make most people drop their jaws when I tell them.  The fact is, I can't afford the insurance I have now.  I don't make enough money to pay for my premiums.  If it weren't for my family, I would be uninsured and on a fast track to complete physical and financial ruin before the age of 30.

Programs like ICHIA can only help a very small percentage of the currently uninsured.  This "public option" is not an option for the vast majority of 46 million uninsured in America.  The lower-middle class and under-employed who aren't poor enough and the disabled that aren't disabled enough have no financially viable options.

    6. Do you have any concerns about such plans from a consumer point of view or from effects on competition among private sector etc.

I really have none at all.  In my honest opinion (and excuse my language) I feel the private sector needs a competitive kick in the ass or else insurance cost, medical costs and inefficiency is only going to get worse and worse.  There isn't enough competition now to keep insurers motivated to stay competitive.  Only a handful of very large companies insure an overwhelming majority of the insured.  How is that a healthy competition?

Honestly, I don't want to see just another insurance "option" from the government.  It won't help enough people (as I stated in my answer to your previous question), and it will not foster enough competition or incentive for efficiency and fair pricing.

There is this unfounded fear of "socialism" and "socialized" medicine, but few people who are afraid of it know what it is.  The majority of countries that have universal coverage have private medical providers and private insurance companies.  They actually have more competition between insurers than we do and are just as innovative in medical developments.  In fact, forcing down prices has resulted in many innovations in other countries that would never have developed in America because there is no incentive to reduce cost and increase efficiency here.

Concluding notes:  I think it will be a bumpy road to health care reform, but I think it is worth it.  What I am most concerned about is a weak bill being pasted that really won't change much of anything, but give people a false sense that something has been done.  Meanwhile, the country will be milking along a failing system as millions of people suffer from being uninsured and underinsured either driven into debt or not seeking proper medical care.  This country needs a whole new philosophy on medical care and that is only going to happen by educating people on the real waste, cost and injustice of the current system.  Unfortunately, with all the misinformation and fear being spread by major news outlets and re-enforced by our own congressmen, I haven't high hopes.  The most I can do is speak out and try to educate the few who will listen.

-----

So what do you think?  Agree/disagree?  Did I get my facts right?  Did I defend my position well? 

She sent me the email at 9:30pm last night and said she needed it by that evening or early this morning which admittedly ticked me off.  I spent 2 hours writing this knowing I was losing much needed sleep and already exhausted.  I hope my effort was worth it.

-Rae