Coastal Voices Guest Editorial: Doctors on health care reform

The 2009 Health Care Reform Act, HR 3200, is a work in progress with many details that need to be worked out as it moves through the legislative process. There have been erroneous claims about the bill and health care from all sides.

As physicians, we feel it is important to give our views of HR 3200.

Health care reform is not socialized medicine.  It will preserve the employer-based care system and give those buying coverage for themselves a selection of  private health plans to choose from, including the so-called “public plan.” Health care reform is not a government takeover. It’s a way to guarantee all Americans have a choice of health care plans they can afford.

Health care reform is not rationed care. It will allow patients to keep their doctors and let every American have a choice of affordable health care.

Health care reform will not hurt Medicare. It will help lower drug costs for people in the “doughnut hole,” keep the doctor of your choice and improve quality of care and eliminate billions in waste.

Health care reform will not put the government in control of life-and-death decisions for you. You and your family will continue to have the option to talk with your doctors in advance about the difficult choices that need to be made at the end of life.

Health care reform will expand Medicaid (Medi-Cal) eligibility to 133.5 percent of the national poverty level, which will potentially make another 17 million people eligible for Medicaid.

Health care reform will help protect consumers. It outlines a minimum services package, including hospitalization, emergency services, preventive services, prescription drugs and maternity care.  There will also be caps on out-of-pocket spending limited to $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for a family.

Health care reform will require that insurers offering health plans spend at least 85 percent of their revenues on providing health care for their customers. Those that do not achieve the 85 percent threshold will be required to offer a rebate.

Health care reform will help minimize medical errors by the establishment of standards for electronic health record keeping.

The physicians of the Humboldt-Del Norte Medical Society feel it is vitally important for all Americans to insist that factual data is utilized by our government representatives and that the media not use scare tactics to divert our attention from this critical issue concerning our nation’s future health.

Doctors who signed off on this message include Emily Dalton, Hal Grotke, Mark Ellis, Kate McCaffrey, John Mastroni, Mark Davis, Ann Lindsay, George Jutila, Luther Cobb, Joan Hoffman, Stephen Kamelgarn, Lee Leer, Scott Sattler and George Ingraham.

Emily Dalton is president of the Humboldt-Del Norte County Medical Society.