Nashville surgeon Manny Sethi ties Tennessee’s health woes to insurance problems
Critically ill patients who have undergone multiple surgeries and clinic visits have suddenly seen their health insurance canceled or have been forced to find a new doctor to comply with rules imposed by their insurance company -- in some cases, the only insurer in their county, Sethi said.
One patient, a trucker suffering from severe obesity and high blood pressure, was priced out of coverage because his income was too high for him to qualify for a federal subsidy, but not high enough for him to pay for insurance by himself, Sethi said.
"We find ourselves in a moment where the individual market in
"We must rapidly take action," Sethi said.
Sethi was one of five witnesses who testified during the last of four hearings before a
Sen.
Alexander hopes to introduce bipartisan legislation next week that will provide relief from higher premiums for 18 million Americans who don't have employer-based insurance but instead buy individual coverage on one of the marketplaces created under Obamacare.
The committee, which already has held three hearings, is racing against the clock. Insurers must finalize their Obamacare plans and rates by
At Thursday's hearing, Sethi said that while he believes repealing and replacing Obamacare is the best way to give patients more access, choice and affordable rates, "I view the potential solutions through the lens of a trauma surgeon," he said.
"First, we must first stop the bleeding, and then work on getting health care healthy again," Sethi said.
Echoing the request of state insurance regulators and governors who testified before the committee last week, Sethi urged lawmakers to continue the federal cost-sharing that enables insurers to provide affordable coverage for low- and moderate-income families.
President
Sethi also called for giving states more flexibility to design and regulate insurance plans, which the state regulators and the governors also have endorsed. And he recommended the creation of high-risk insurance pools for chronically ill patients.
In the long term, Sethi said, the focus must turn to rising health care costs, with an emphasis on providing incentives for healthy behavior and more transparency in pricing.
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