Dennis Lanane: Panel to discuss health care concerns

October 31, 2009 08:41 pm

— Scared of health care reform.
That is a phrase that I hear more frequently each week.
It is easy to see why people would be confused and scared.
Those who want to stop health care reform and those who want health care reform are running expensive campaigns.
The campaigns to stop health care reform are the ones being run by those who are making big money off of the present system. The insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies are spending millions of dollars misrepresenting the facts. Those in Congress are also receiving millions of dollars in donations from these companies.
The costs of health care in the United States last year was more than $2 trillion and 47 million people did not have health care insurance.
This is not just a Democrat and Republican fight.
It is big, powerful private interests versus the consumers and their advocates that want decent health care for all Americans.
Indiana Senator Evan Bayh’s wife, Susan, has been earning more than $1 million a year in director’s fees for advice she gives to companies that make pharmaceuticals, sell insurance policies, etc. These kinds of stories about Susan Bayh and other Congressional spouses have been reported in a large number of newspapers across Indiana in the past few years. They give the appearance of impropriety.
On Nov. 19, at 10:30 a.m. at the Anderson Library Triad will hold an informational meeting on federal health care reform issues.
It is our intention to be able to inform those who come to the meeting about some of the issues that are “scaring” them.
This is not a political meeting. It is not about any particular federal health care reform bill.
It is about the health care needs of legitimate American citizens and their options.
Health care reform panel
Our panel for the Triad meeting will include:
-- Katie Humphreys, system vice president for public policy and advocacy at St. Vincent’s Health. Humphreys has been developing public policy advocacy programs and developing relationships with external organizations and individuals for St. Vincent Health and its ministries. St. Vincent and St. John’s Hospital are part of Ascension Health, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system. They are very active in advocating health care reform that ensures both 100 percent access to health care and 100 percent coverage. They also see the need for reform within the insurance industry. We must change some of the current rules that make insurance difficult to obtain or afford. To make sure that health insurance is decent — that it is available and affordable, and that policies are equitable.
-- Elmer Blankenship, president of the Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans. The Alliance is a coalition of community-based organizations and AFL-CIO affiliated unions. The Alliance unites retirees who are committed to one common goal--building the most effective organization to advocate for America’s seniors at the national, state and local levels.
-- James Wallihan, Indiana president of United Senior Action. Since 1979, USA of Indiana has been uniting older Hoosiers into a powerful voice to impact policies affecting our lives and our communities.
-- Sarah Waddle, Indiana AARP associate director advocacy network.
Dennis Lanane is chairman of Madison County Triad. His column appears the first Sunday of each month. He can be reached at qparadigm@iquest.net.

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