Greater Cleveland Congregations – June 23, 2011

1. Greater Cleveland Congregations – June 23, 2011 Health Care – Federal, State, and Local Problems By Gary Benjamin

2. How many of us need health care? • But many of our neighbors can’t find high quality care. • No Insurance. • Can’t find a doctor. • Cost too high. • Medicaid/Medicare won’t pay enough. • Have more than one condition. • Other ??

3. The present system - • Costs too much • Covers too few (50.7 million uninsured) • Fails too many • Those with pre-existing conditions can’t get covered • Insurance companies drop coverage or raise premiums when people get sick • Doesn’t give everyone equal access to good health • Provides fragmented care with poor quality outcomes

4. What did Federal Reform Do? Makes insurance more affordable by providing sliding scale subsidies Requires more people to buy affordable insurance or pay a tax. Prohibits discrimination against those who are sick or injured.

5. What will Federal Reform Do? • 1.4 million uninsured Ohioans could get affordable coverage through the health insurance exchange • 942,000 Ohioans could qualify for premium tax credits to help them purchases health coverage • 1.8 million seniors would receive free preventive services • 325,000 seniors would benefit from closing the “donut-hole” in Medicare Part D • 165,000 people with pre-existing conditions will no longer by denied insurance • 118,000 small businesses could be helped by a tax credit to make premiums more affordable Center for Community Solutions

6. What will federal reform do? Medicaid Revolution! • Medicaid will be available to all adults with incomes up to 133% of the Federal Poverty Level ($29,326 for a family of 4) • Doctors accepting Medicaid will be paid more. • 16 to 18 million people covered. • Over 1 million in Ohio.

7. Are the obstacles gone now? • No Insurance? • Can’t find a doctor? • Cost is too high? • Medicaid/Medicare won’t pay enough? • Have more than one condition? • Other ??

8. What can we do? • Work locally on care delivery. • Work locally on access to care. • Work on payment reform. • Show me the money! • Make sure the mandate is not repealed. • Make sure Medicaid/Medicare are funded well. • Work on cost – drug prices; hospital billing; other ??

9. What can we do? Examples - • Health care and financing it is the biggest business in North East Ohio. • We can work • In your hospital or doctor’s office; • Locally – Healthy Cleveland and more; • State – Exchange and more; • Federally – Medicaid funding and more.