‘Obamacare’ repeal worries Jackson County patients, providers
"They said, 'Let's get you signed up for the Oregon Health Plan,'" she recalled. "It made all the difference in the world to have that."
Kinamun was back to work after receiving care and recuperating for two months in bed.
Although she has a job as an elementary school instructional assistant, Kinamun has a low enough income that she qualified for OHP coverage thanks to expanded eligibility from the 2010 Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The federal government and states that expanded coverage provide government-subsidized health insurance to low income Americans.
Efforts by
Up to 20 million Americans could lose health insurance coverage, according to some preliminary estimates.
"I'm horrified," Kinamun said. "I'm not sure people will actually have medical care under this proposal. It's worrisome. It's not just about my personal story -- 20 million other people could be impacted."
In
Statewide, rural areas, including
The Republican plan would cut federal payments for that expanded care after 2020.
Critics of Obamacare say America has added an expensive new entitlement that is unaffordable, especially when the deficit-ridden federal government already can't meet its obligations to provide
The Affordable Care Act did little to restrain the rising cost of health insurance for people with subsidized, employer-provided or individually purchased insurance. And prescription drug prices continue to skyrocket as companies corner the market on existing medicines and raise prices, and introduce new specialty drugs that cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Not enough young, healthy people signed up for Obamacare, and many who did join were sicker and had ailments that had been left untreated.
The Republican plan would keep some of the more popular elements of Obamacare, including protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Parents could still keep their children on their insurance plans until age 26.
"I think it's a great idea," he said. "They have to do something. Costs are going through the roof. I do agree with repeal and replace. It will collapse on its own without it."
Krook said he buys health insurance as part of an employer-provided retirement benefit and likely couldn't afford insurance on his own.
"Out in the real world, it's expensive," he said.
Providers worry about coverage
Providers at La Clinica, which runs community and school-based health and dental clinics in the
Chief Executive Officer
"Many patients had delayed treatment," she said. "They needed dental cleanings and care. They had put off their own diabetic management. Many had really struggled to maintain the primary care support most people take for granted. We wish we could have seen them earlier in their disease state."
Johnson said she is most concerned about proposals to scale back
"
In the past, 53 percent of La Clinica's patients were uninsured. Last year, that number was cut to 30 percent uninsured, said La Clinica Development Officer
When patients have insurance, they are able to access the full range of medical tools, including prescription drugs, specialist visits, diagnostic exams, hospital care and mental health and dental care, she said.
"The most striking thing we saw was people who had never been to the dentist in their adult lives," Underwood said. "They were finally able to catch up on dental care. We are doing a lot of restorative and rehabilitative care. Many had gone without medical care. There were people who had not received recommended vaccinations or screenings. Many had endured years and years of chronic pain and didn't have the resources to come and get things checked out."
After she went through a divorce,
"If I'd had the money, we would have gone straight to the doctor, but we couldn't," Morse said.
Her daughters are now grown, and after passage of the Affordable Care Act, Morse was able to get OHP coverage. She is trying to catch up on years of neglected health problems, including spinal arthritis, that she believes worsened due to lack of medical care. Steroid injections in her back and hips allow her to walk with less pain.
"If I'd have had insurance when I was raising my kids, I would have been in better health and could have worked more," Morse said.
Now 66 years old, Morse recently qualified for
"I'm terrified for them," she said.
Economic impacts
In
AllCare Vice President of Government Relations and Health Policy
"There is a lot of time to figure out the next step," he said. "I would encourage people to take a position and make their voices heard, but don't stress out."
The bill could still see many changes, and all sides are waiting for reports about financial impacts from the
"If the exact bill passes as written,
Patients not only would lose coverage from a repeal of the ACA, but the health care industry would take a hit.
"Health care is a major economic driver," Balloch said.
Repealing the ACA would cost 42,000 jobs in health care and other industries in
In the
Average pay for health care and social assistance jobs is approximately
A range of organizations concerned about health care, from the
Asante's network includes hospitals in
Locally owned and operated, Asante is the largest employer in the region, with 5,400 employees, Kelly said.
He said Asante is seeing more patients with coverage because of the Affordable Care Act, and the number of uninsured residents has dropped. But cuts to reimbursement rates for
Hospitals and other health care providers will be doubly hurt if
"We could end up with a significant challenge to our stability as health care providers in the state," he said.
Nationwide, 10.1 percent of people are 65 or over. That number increases to 16.8 percent in
"We have a very large
Before changes are made to the Affordable Care Act and the American health care system, Kelly said potential impacts need to be thoroughly considered.
"It's my hope we understand what this is really going to mean in terms of access and affordability of care for people," he said.
-- Reach staff reporter
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