Detroit Families Target Of AHIP Campaign

<b></b>Copyright 2008 ProQuest Information and LearningAll Rights ReservedCopyright 2008 Michigan Chronicle Michigan Chronicle (Detroit) <br> <br> <b></b><span id="x_hitDiv1"><b>September</b> <span id="x_hitDiv2"><b>3</b>, <span id="x_hitDiv2"> <b>2008</b> - <span id="x_hitDiv2"><b>September</b> <span id="x_hitDiv2"><b>9</b>, <span id="x_hitDiv2"><b>2008</b> <br> <br> <b>SECTION: </b>NEWS; Pg. C3 Vol. 71 No. 51 <br> <br> <b>ACC-NO: </b>7378 <br> <br> <b>LENGTH: </b>949 words <br> <br> <br> <b>HEADLINE: </b>Detroit families target of AHIP campaign<br> <br> <b>BYLINE: </b>Fortune, Cornelius A. <p></p> By Cornelius A. Fortune <p></p> CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER <br> <br> ABSTRACT <p></p> "There's going to be a lot of discussion in Washington both in this campaign season as well as post November about where healthcare should rank on the priority list," [Karen Ignagni] said. "What I'm going to try to do is reflect the personal stories here about why healthcare has to he one of the (foremost) issues. I think it has to be a priority." <p></p> "The discussion needs to be kept alive. It's effective in that this is a discussion that's more important than ever," [Char Goolsby] said. "I think today we possibly can leave here with some things we can do in our communities. Hopefully with Karen being here she can actually take back the things that can make a difference." <p></p> "I think one of the biggest problems is, yes, there are several programs out here, but if you don't know you can't do anything about it," [April Dawson] said. "Having all of that right there in front of me at one time was overwhelming for me, and I was grateful I attended. Karen seemed to be very concerned about my well-being and the future of my son's health." ABSTRACT <p></p> Some of the issues they cover are: ensuring that all Americans have access to healthcare; strengthening the employer-based healthcare coverage system; guaranteeing access to health coverage in the individual market; and giving working families assistance by providing tax credits on a sliding-scale up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line. FULL TEXT <p></p> Detroiters recently shared their personal healthcare stories during a roundtable discussion held at Second Ebenezer Church. <p></p> It was moderated by New York Tunes journalist Dirk Johnson and hosted by the America's Health Insurance Plans' (AHIP) Campaign for an American Solution. Karen Ignagni, president and CEO, will take these stories back with her to Washington. <p></p> "There's going to be a lot of discussion in Washington both in this campaign season as well as post November about where healthcare should rank on the priority list," Ignagni said. "What I'm going to try to do is reflect the personal stories here about why healthcare has to he one of the (foremost) issues. I think it has to be a (top) priority." <p></p> Detroit was the second stop on a listening tour conducted by the AHIP's Campaign for an American Solution. The campaign is a new national grassroots and educational initiative to build support for workable health care reform based on six core principles: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability. <p></p> "As we listen to the healthcare stories of families in Detroit and across the country, we are also seeking their input on our reform proposals and what the country can do to make coverage more affordable and more portable," said Ignagni. "We are encouraging all Americans to have their voices heard in the healthcare reform discussion." <p></p> The Campaign for an American Solution is engaging in conversations about health care with Americans from all walks of life: people with coverage and without; small business owners and employees; union leaders and members; physicians, providers; and working families from diverse communities. <p></p> Over the past two years, AHIFs board of directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to provide families with greater accese to high-quality affordable healthcare coverage. Some of the issues they cover are: ensuring that all Americans have access to healthcare; strengthening the employer-based healthcare coverage system; guaranteeing access to health coverage in the individual market; and giving working families assistance by providing tax credits on a sliding-scale up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line. <p></p> Char Goolsby, a business owner who participated in the discussion, believed it to be an adequate continuation of the healthcare debate. Goolsby has health insurance because of her husband's coverage, but feels bad because she cannot offer her employees coverage. <p></p> "The discussion needs to be kept alive. It's effective in that this is a discussion that's more important than ever," Goolsby said. "I think today we possibly can leave here with some things we can do in our communities. Hopefully with Karen being here she can actually take back the things that can make a difference." <p></p> "When they came to ask if they could have the forum here, one of things they made clear is that they wanted an open, honest, raw conversation," said Nikki Doby, chief of staff, second Ebenezer Church. "I do believe it was good intentioned and they followed through on it. At this point all we can do is wait and see." <p></p> April Dawson, a single mother and part of the growing number of America's working uninsured, says she found the roundtable informative. <p></p> "I think one of the biggest problems is, yes, there are several programs out here, but if you don't know you can't do anything about it," Dawson said. "Having all of that right there in front of me at one time was overwhelming for me, and I was grateful I attended. Karen seemed to be very concerned about my well-being and the future of my son's health." <p></p> More than one million people in Michigan (or 10 percent of the state's population) are uninsured, according to Urban Institute and Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured estimates based on U.S. Census Bureau March 2006 and 2007 Current Population Survey data. The same report estimates nearly 47 million Americans do not have health insurance coverage. <p></p> Washington has to pick up the slack, noted Ignagni. <p></p> "Communities like Detroit and Michigan in general are hurting, based on what's been happening in terms of the downturn of the auto industry," she said. "There needs to be special attention paid to these types of communities." <p></p> For more information on AHIP, visit <a href="http://www.americanhealtlisolution.org"> www.americanhealtlisolution.org</a>. <br> <br> <b>LOAD-DATE: </b>October 27, 2008 <br> <br> <div> <div class="x_nshr"> <center></center> <center><a href="http://www.lexis-nexis.com/lncc/about/copyrt.html" target="_new" class="x_pagelinks">Copyright © 2008 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </a><br> <a href="http://www.lexis-nexis.com/terms/general" target="_new" class="x_pagelinks">Terms and Conditions</a> <a href="http://www.lexis-nexis.com/terms/privacy" target="_new" class="x_pagelinks"> Privacy Policy</a> <br> </center> </div> </div> </span></span></span></span></span></span>