Healthcare: Change the Debate Support a Real Public Option

Hat tip goes to Blue Jersey for beating me to the posting of the following article I saw on the Daily Kos Thursday but didn't have time to post myself:

by Dennis Kucinich
Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 08:38:08 PM PDT

Dear Friends,

In mid-May, in an effort to reach consensus, President Obama secured a deal with the health insurance companies to trim 1.5% of their costs each year for ten years saving a total of $2 trillion dollars, which would be reprogrammed into healthcare. Just two days after the announcement at the White House the insurance companies reneged on the deal which was designed to protect and increase their revenue at least 35%

The insurance companies reneged on the deal because they refuse any restraint on increasing premiums, copays and deductibles - core to their profits. No wonder a recent USA Today poll found that only four percent of Americans trust insurance companies. This is within the margin of error, which means it is possible that NO ONE TRUSTS insurance companies.

Then why does Congress trust the insurance companies? Yesterday HR 3200 "America's Affordable Health Choices Act," a 1000 page bill was delivered to members. The title of the bill raises a question: "Affordable" for whom?.

Of $2.4 trillion spent annually for health care in America, fully $800 billion goes for the activities of the for-profit insurer-based system. This means one of every three health care dollars is siphoned off for corporate profits, stock options, executive salaries, advertising, marketing and the cost of paper work, (which can be anywhere between 15 - 35% in the private sector as compared to Medicare, the single payer plan which has only 3% administrative costs).

50 million Americans are uninsured and another 50 million are under insured while for-profit insurance companies divert precious health care dollars to non-health care purposes. Eliminate the for-profit health care system and its extraordinary overhead, put the money into healthcare and everyone will be covered, everyone will be able to afford health care.

Today three committees will begin marking up and amending HR3200. In this, one of the most momentous public policy debates in the past 70 years, single payer, the only viable "public option," the one that makes sound business sense, controls costs and covers everyone was taken off the table.

In contrast to HR3200 ... HR676 calls for a universal single-payer health care system in the United States, Medicare for All. It has over 85 co-sponsors in Congress with the support of millions of Americans and countless physicians and nurses. How does HR-676 control costs and cover everyone? It cuts out the for-profit middle men and delivers care directly to consumers and Medicare acts as the single payer of bills. It also recognizes that under the current system for-profit insurance companies make money NOT providing health care.

This week is the time to break the hold which the insurance companies have on our political process. Tell Congress to stand up to the insurance companies. Ask members to sign on to the only real public option, HR 676, a single-payer healthcare system.

Hundreds of local labor unions, thousands of physicians and millions of Americans are standing behind us. With a draft of HR3200 now circulating, It is up to each and every one of us to organize and rally for the cause of single-payer healthcare. Change the debate. Now is the time.

The time to act is now!

Sincerely Yours,

Dennis Kucinich
United States Congressman

Contact us at feedback@kucinich.us or visit us online at www.kucinich.us

Tony "the Fibber" Fiore Suggests That The Only Place Left In Budget To Cut Is Police For Savings

Last week Middletown special financial consultant Bob Roth re-introduced the FY 2009 budget to the Township Committee. The budget, which seems as though it was put together by the use of smoke and a mirror will be voted on and approved tonight.

The budget relays on 1 shot gimmicks such as reducing the surplus reserve for uncollected taxes and deferring a portion of the townships pension obligation, so instead of a 9.2% tax increase that was proposed back in April the new tax increase to the municipal rate will be 5.8%, and we have the State to thank for it.

After months of telling the public how hard and how tirelessly they were working on the budget, meeting department heads over and over again to ensure that their budgets fell in line with township priorities, the Republicans on the Township Committee lead by Mayor Brightbill and Deputy Mayor Scharfenberger left the decision making to the state because they could not find any budget cuts or savings themselves!

The junior Committeeman, Republican Tony ”the Fibber” Fiore went as far as saying that the only area in the budget left open to the Committee in which to cut costs, was emergency services and to lay-off or furlough police officers and staff.

What a stupid thing to say!!

How could you possible say that the only place left in the budget in which to cut costs would be to trim the police department? Fiore’s statement from the dais last week was not only a head shaker, but also an outrageously gross attempt to place blame on others for the Republican’s failures to produce a budget that was inline with the realities of the day.

There were and are numerous areas and line items throughout the FY 2009 budget that could have been cut or trimmed in order to lessen the financial impact on residents if the Republicans truly wished.

Fiore, for all of his efforts and work that he put into the budget could not even implement any of his infamous ideas from the 8-point plan that he introduced back on February 2nd. Other than the suspension of the township committee’s yearly stipend, none of his ideas listed below were worthy enough for consideration:

1. Suspend the entire Township Committee’s salaries.
2. Freeze all non-essential hiring not required by law.
3. Freeze all union and non-union salaries.
4. Evaluate all non-essential, non-revenue generating programs for elimination.
5. Seek out additional shared service arrangements.
6. Sell surplus township property and assets.
7. Eliminate all non-essential Township subscriptions and dues payments.
8. Eliminate all conference and travel expenses unless required by law for continuing education requirements.

Now, how can someone have the nerve to sit in front of others and say with a straight face that the only remaining area in the budget in which to cut or reduce would be police manpower? Were the other 7 out of 8 recommendations that Tony Fiore proposed deemed to essential by his fellow Republicans and therefore taken off the table?

I have a several budget savings ideas, in no particular order, that I would like to recommend to Tony Fiore and his Republican colleagues to consider before the next time they infer that the only option left open to the Township Committee is to cut the budget by reducing the size of Middletown’s police force:

1. Privatize the Cultural Arts Center or change its mission to allow for-profit organizations to rent and utilize the building.
2. Reduce the number of township supplied employee cars.
3. Reduce the operating hours for the Kanes lane recycling facility.
4. Privatize a portion of public works.
5. Fund Middletown Matters by sell advertisments instead of by tax payer dollars.
6. Consolidating purchases, printing and advertising.

Based on the horrible outcome of this year’s budget process to the residents of Middletown, it is essential that the Township Committee establish a Budget/Finance Committee that would interact with township personnel well before the end of the calendar year and make specific recommendations to the Township Committee on budget matters. To leave important budget issues up to the State, like was done with this years budget, is irresponsible.

And to suggest that the only option left to the Committee to reduce spending is to lay-off township police officers, is just plain stupid.

Orszag Sets The Record Straight "No Rationing Of Health Care"

Fox News' Chris Wallace asked OMB Director Peter Orszag this morning if the administration will be "rationing" health care by establishing a commission of doctors and medical experts to oversee medical practices. Orszag, thankfully, called this a "canard" and pointed to the status quo.

"The fact of the matter is, right now, politicians and insurance companies are making decisions," Orszag explained. "We're saying, we want doctors to be making decisions."

Wallace said once these physicians start "making decisions," they'll be in the business of telling consumers which medical treatments they can and cannot have. So, Orszag turned the question around: "Do you think that politicians are currently rationing care? Or insurance companies are currently rationing care? There are no set of decisions that this commission would have that is not currently resting with either members of Congress or insurance companies."
- The Washington Monthly, Steve Benen

CBO Scores Confirm Deficit Neutrality of Health Insurance Reform Bill

Late Friday the Congressional Budget Office issued estimates that states for the first time that "H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, is deficit neutral over the 10-year budget window - and even produces a $6 billion surplus."

The estimates also cover important reinvestments in Medicare and Medicaid, including phasing in the closing of the “donut” hole in the Medicare drug benefit.

The estimates issued by the CBO are good news for President Obama and the Democrats in congress because they show that indeed, health insurance reform can be deficit neutral and pay for itself.

Here is what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had to say on her blog:

"The CBO report confirms that The America’s Affordable Health Choices Act delivers on a critical promise President Obama and the House have made to the American people: health insurance reform legislation will be paid for.

After an historic day yesterday when two out of three committees in the House passed the legislation, Congress has made major progress on health insurance reform that will put patients and doctors back in charge, ensure quality, affordable, and accessible health care for America’s middle class and control the spiraling costs of health care through innovative reforms.

As the legislative process moves forward, we will continue to look for ways to squeeze more savings out of the system."

HOLT SUPPORTS HOUSE HEALTH CARE REFORM PROPOSAL IN COMMITTEE; PLEDGES TO IMPROVE BILL AS PROCESS CONTINUES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2009

As Member of House Committee on Education and Labor, Holt Works to Strengthen Public Option, Small Business and Health Care Employment Training

(Washington, DC) – Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) today voted for – in the House Committee on Education and Labor – the America’s Affordable Health Choice Act, legislation introduced in the House, with the intention of extending coverage to all Americans, improving the quality of care, expanding preventative care, and reducing the health care costs that Americans pay. The reform proposal would build on the existing system, so that if people are happy with the insurance they have, they can keep it. While helping to pass the bill in Committee, Holt noted that this is an intermediate step in the legislative process and that he wants to continue to improve the bill, strengthening the parts providing for a public option, small business benefits, and training for health care workers.

In June, Holt hosted a group of Central New Jersey primary care and patient advocates in Washington to hear their experiences on the front-line of health care and meet with leaders in health reform. For example, a pediatrician shared her story that primary care providers like her are struggling to see more patients, while receiving lower payments from insurance companies for her primary care services. On Monday, Holt held a roundtable at the Henry J. Austin Health Center in Trenton. Participants included small business owners, patient advocates, health care providers, doctors and nurses.

“We no longer can accept the status quo. I believe this year we will reform our broken health care system, but I know this will not be easy,” Holt said. “Since Teddy Roosevelt was President, the Congress has tried to pass universal health reform. However, with Presidential leadership, a supportive Congress, and an American public that understands what is at stake, the table is set for historic reform. As primary care providers and patients from Central New Jersey have told me, we must fix our health care system to keep individuals healthy, prevent diseases, and provide health security for all Americans. Today we have taken an important, though not final, step.”

A summary of the legislation can be found at http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AAHCA-BILLSUMMARY-071409.pdf.

In supporting the bill in Committee, Holt highlighted two features: creating a public health insurance plan and increasing the resources devoted to primary care. Holt argued that a public health insurance plan needs to be included to lower costs and improve health care delivery. In addition to increasing competition, Holt said, a public plan would provide a way to inject innovative strategies to deliver higher-quality and lower-cost health care, such as encouraging integrated medical care and increasing primary care. Holt also noted that the legislation includes several proposals to improve primary care by increasing the workforce and enlarging community health centers.

“In 2009, health care spending is projected to reach $8,160 per person, an amount sufficient to provide excellent care for everyone, yet 46 million Americans lack insurance and millions more have coverage that doesn’t meet their needs. Without health reform, businesses’ costs will continue to increase, families’ out-of-pocket costs will rise, and American workers will not receive the health care they need,” Holt said.

In addition to these provisions, Holt succeeded in adding two amendments to the legislation. One amendment would provide additional job training in order to expand the health care workforce. The White House Council on Economic Advisors released a report this week noting that the number of health care practitioner jobs, such as physicians and nurse practitioners, will grow by 35 percent between 2000 and 2016. Demand for health care support occupations, including medical records and health information technicians, clinical laboratory technicians, and physical therapists are expected to increase by 48 percent.

The bill would creates a competitive National Health Workforce Online Training Grant program for universities, community colleges, non-profits, workforce investment boards, and others to increase the number of online training programs for individuals seeking health care jobs. Grant recipients would be required to reach out to workforce investment boards, local governments, educational institutions, and other workforce training organizations to disseminate their knowledge. The bill also would establish an online health professions training program clearinghouse, which would collect and nationally disseminate the best practices learned by grantees.

The online job program would support programs similar to one offered by Rutgers University and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The Director of the Rutgers Center for Women and Work, Dr. Eileen Applebalum, and Assistant Professor and Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Mary Gatta commended Holt for including the amendment.

“As so much research, including our own, has demonstrated online learning provides significant benefits and advantages to dislocated and incumbent workers in developing and expanding their skills to compete in our economy,” Appelbaum and Gatta wrote in a letter. “Online learning provides accessible, flexible, cost-effective, and most-up-to date training. This is particularly important in the healthcare fields, as there are significant shortages of skilled workers in several fields, and existing workers must ensure that their skills are compatible with job demands.”

Another amendment, which Holt cosponsored with Subcommittee Chair Rob Andrews and Reps. Phil Hare and Donald Payne would create small employer benefit arrangements (SEBAs), which provide a new way for affiliated small businesses to join together to offer health insurance and other benefits to their employees.

Holt first learned about SEBAs from Wilson H. Beebe, Jr., Chairman, the Alliance for Employee Benefit Cooperatives and Executive Director, New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association. Beebe regonized the work of Holt and others for including the amendment in the legislation.

“We appreciate all of their hard work and are lucky to have such effective legislators representing us in Washington,” Beebe said. “Self-governed SEBAs will assist small businesses in taking advantage of the opportunities provided by national health reform. By allowing SEBAs to negotiate premium and plan design on the basis of occupational demographics and administrative economies of scale, we expect to further reduce premium costs. Moreover, we can provide professional evaluation of the plan options available in the market-place suitable to our membership and workforce.”

Sean F. Byrnes Campaign For Freeholder Website Up And Running

Monmouth County Democratic Freeholder Candidate, Middletown's Sean F. Byrnes has his campaign website up and running, it's very neat, stylish and user friendly. Check it out @ Byrnesforfreeholder.com

The Byrnes for Freeholder website is one of the nicest campaign websites I have seen in a long time, really first rate. If it is any indication on how the campaign will be run,

I'm sure that Sean Byrnes will be successful in November. It is well thought out and very informative about Sean and the issues that effect Monmouth County.

Saturday Morning Cartoons:Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse

It's Saturday morning once again, it's time to jump into the "Catmoblie" and get back to the "Cat Cave" for my Wheaties with Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse.

Case Of The Cat Gun Caper

President Obama's Weekly Address: 7/18/09

The President calls on Congress to seize this opportunity one that may not come again for decades and finally pass health care reform: Its about every family unable to keep up with soaring out of pocket costs and premiums rising three times faster than wages. Every worker afraid of losing health insurance if they lose their job, or change jobs. Everyone whos worried that they may not be able to get insurance or change insurance if someone in their family has a pre-existing condition July 18, 2009.

Complete Audio From Middletown Special Budget Meeting 7/13/09

I haven't had time as of yet to break down the audio from Monday nights special budget meeting in Middletown.

I intend to isolate comments and questions for easier listen, but until I make time to do it I thought that it would be both informative and interesting to hear the meeting in it's entirety, all 2 and a half hours, as it happened.

The listener can fast forward or rewind as they wish. If you have any questions leave a comment and I'll answer the best I can.

Who Says Corzine Hasn't Done Enough For Business?

Critics of Governor Corzine are quick to jump on the “Wizard of Wall St.” for being out of touch with the needs of the business community. They say that for all of his financial knowledge and wizardry, the Governor’s policies and the actions of the Democrats in the State House have lead to high taxes and unnecessary, burdensome regulations being placed on businesses throughout New Jersey. These burdensome taxes and regulations are pointed to by critics as the reason for job losses and business flight from the state.

Of course many of Governor Corzine’s critics forget that New Jersey didn’t get this way over night, Democrats have not always been in control of Trenton, the Republicans had their chances to screw up the State during the beginning part of the decade.

You wouldn’t know it from all of the negativity brought on by the recession but Governor Corzine has been very proactive in trying to promote business in the state. The Corzine Administration has positively changed the business climate in New Jersey by streamlining government, tackling property taxes, investing in our public infrastructure, revitalizing our urban centers and investing in new technology. And yes, it’s true whether you wish to believe it or not, New Jersey is poised to rebound from the global recession stronger than ever before because of Jon Corzine.

The New Jersey Economic Assistance & Recovery Plan which was devised back in October by the Governor was the first plan of its kind in the nation to launch a comprehensive economic recovery plan to address the effects of the recession on our state:

INVEST NJ, one of the cornerstones of the Governor’s plan has exceeded everyone’s expectations thus far. It provides $3,000 for each new full time job created and maintained in NJ to eligible businesses, it is expected to create 16,666 new private sector jobs in 2 years as well as provides for $70 million in grants to offset sales tax on capital investment for business operations.

The Main Street Business Assistance program provides $50 million in financing for small and mid-sized businesses.
The Corzine administration made significant, long-term legal, tax and accounting adjustments sought by the business community, which is estimated to result in more than $125 million in savings for NJ businesses.

Over the past 3 years Governor Corzine has supported urban investment and revitalization by enhancing the Urban Enterprise Zones, which supports 150,000 jobs and has garnered $24 billion in new private investment.

Jon Corzine has championed the construction of the Mass Transit Tunnel between NJ and Manhattan. The Mass Transit Tunnel will create 6,000 construction jobs each year over the life of the project, and generate 44,000 permanent jobs upon its completion. The Tunnel will add $10 billion in gross regional product and $4 billion in additional real personal income. And with help from President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act other desperately needed infrastructure projects will be made possible which will lead to even more job creation over the next 2 years.

Finally, two areas in which the Governor doesn’t seem to get credit for is his efforts are at streamlining government and the environment

The Governor centralized the economic decision-making in the Governor’s Office of Economic Growth and consolidated the Economic Development Authority. He also strengthened New Jersey’s finances by reducing the size of government. Jon Corzine eliminated agencies and cut the workforce by 7,000 positions.

The Governor increased the efficiency at the Department of Environmental Protection by convening a permit task force and signed the landmark Permit Extension Act and he also signed legislation to expedite the remediation and redevelopment of more than 20,000 contaminated sites in New Jersey.

New Jersey is better off today because of the good work Jon Corzine has done over the past 3 years as our Governor, as the economy turns around lost jobs will return. And with the policies put in place by Jon Corzine, New Jersey will not only be more business friendly it will also lead the Nation in job creation.

With Middletown Budget Now Re-Introduced, CFO Richard Wright Resigns

Now that the proposed FY 2009 Middletown budget has be amended and re-introduced to residents by former CFO Bob Roth, who the township committee hired on May 18 as a consultant, to assist the township as it prepared its 2009 budget after Township CFO Richard Wright went on sick leave, comes word that Richard Wright has officially handed in his resignation.

Wright developed a mystery illness shortly after informing the Township Committee that he had made a clerical error which resulted in a $2.4 million hole in the budget back in early May, after it was introduced on April 20th and has been on sick leave ever since.

In earlier posts on the Middletown budget, I had stated that Richard Wright would never come back to work because in actuality the man was not sick and that in fact he had been fired.

The Republicans that control the township committee made a face saving deal with Wright, they constructed a story that had Wright coming down with some serious and somewhat chronic condition, which prohibited him from performing his duties as CFO and a had him take time off as sick leave, until a sufficiant about of time had passed (several weeks and the township budget re-presented) in which then would hand in his resignation.

The one thing that I have to say about this situations is this, for once the republicans in charges, in my opinion did something right and did not throw the man under the bus. From all accounts Richard Wright was a decent and likable guy who did a good and capable job. However, what got him in trouble with his bosses at times was his honesty at answering questions, he was too honest and clearly not practiced enough in the political ways of the Middeltown GOP.

After all this I hope that he lands on his feet and I wish him well in his future endeavors.

You can read the official version of his resignation HERE from the Asbury Park Press.

A Quick Synopsis Of The Middletown Budget Mess

Last night Middletown re-introduced the FY 2009 budget and to summed up in very plain and simple language, it is a MESS !!

The budget has been put together by the use of smoke and mirrors - no cost reductions or spending cuts of any kind to speak of.

Here is a quick synopsis of last nights meeting, I'll have more to say and discuss over the next few days once i have sufficient time to review my audio recordings of the meeting:

Contrary to previous reports Bob Roth really did not find any hidden monies, when he presented the budget to the local finance board in Trenton, the state told Middletown that they could reduce the amount of reserve for unpaid taxes to the state mandated minimum which saved the township $1.2M.

Next week there will be another ordinance to be voted on by the township committee that will take another reserve fund, that has been laying around since 2006, and put it into the budget for another $399k 1 shot revenue gimmick .

The "tireless " hunting for savings that the Majority search for resulted in a few minor reductions and few increases in line items throughout.

I have to hand it to Bob Roth, after over 20 years of being CFO, he really knows his stuff. the man had explanations for everything that was brought up, but overall there were no real cost savings in this budget, just the 1 shot use of surpluses that were moved into the budget.

Now that Middletown has used these 1 shot gimmicks, there will be no substantial reserves to work with next year. It will be interesting to see how that will work.

The bottom line is this, even after the use of the surpluses it did not save the township from a significant tax increase of 5.8%. And by deferring payment of half of Middletown's pension obligations of $600K, which was a requirement by the state to qualify for the cap wavier, it will cost Middletown an additional 4% interest over the next 12 years on that deferral.

Where is the saving there? If Middletown did a better job at managing it's finances and did not need to seek a cap waiver, Middletown would not have to defer payments it's pension obligations.

This is just another case of mismanagement of the towns finances by the majority of the Committee and really gives credence to Sean Byrnes request to establish and head a Finance committee.

Tony Fiore came out to say that real cuts to the budget would have meant reducing police staff and other essential services that he would have been unwilling to make, which is utter nonsense! There are other areas in which to cut like travel, magazines,office supplies, utility costs at the Arts Center, Parks and Rec, Middletown Matters, the possibilities are endless if he and the majority were willing end the cronyism and patronage that they practice.

What this budget shows me is a total lack of leadership by the Republican majority who were and are, unwilling to make hard and necessary choices.

What this budget really does is it pushes harder decisions off until next year, it creates a huge hole in next years budget due to the fact that there is no surpluses left to raid.

How much will it cost us then ?