The Quest for Universal Coverage By Sally C

The Quest for Universal Coverage By Sally C. Pipes President and CEO of Pacific Research Institute The National Congress on the Un and Under Insured Washington, DC December 11, 2007 1

Health Care • “Understanding Health Care is similar to unraveling an onion with many tearful moments. ” • Health care reform--#1 Domestic policy issue in states and 2008 presidential election. • Two Visions: One focuses on government, mandates, and taxes. The other focuses on markets, free will, and innovation. 2

Two Competing Visions for Health Care 1) PRI’s Vision: Consumer-Driven Health Care — Enabling consumers and doctors to make health care decisions that are right for them will improve the effectiveness, affordability, and value of our health care spending. Americans need universal choice in health care. Individual choice and free markets will solve problems of the U. S. health care system. HSAs will help unleash consumer power. 3

2) The Other Vision: Call in Government ¯ Today, the government vision is in ascendancy, advocated by both its traditional proponents on the centerleft and by some Republicans who want to force everyone to purchase health insurance or face fines. ¯ Senator Clinton’s “American Health Choices Plan” estimated to cost $110 billion relies on mandates, taxes, subsidies, controls on insurance companies, and expanding medicaid and S-CHIP. ¯ Senator Clinton: “When I’m President, we will have a universal coverage system in our country so that every American has the health care they deserve. ” 4

Government already accounts for 45% of health care economy. Politicians want the other 55 %. • Universal Coverage — Romney Care, Arnold Care, Paul Krugman, Rellman, Woolhandler, Physicians for National Health Insurance. 5

Universal Insurance Coverage • United States is much criticized for being the only industrialized country that doesn’t offer taxpayer-funded universal health coverage. • High numbers of uninsured around the country – 47 million nationwide (revised by Census Bureau); 17 million Y > $50, 000; 10 million > $75, 000; 14 million eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP; 8 million chronically uninsured. – 85% working; 2/3 working full-time; 1/3 young. Most uninsured because between jobs or young and do not think they need HI and it is a bad investment • This is seen as a moral failing. 6

Universal Coverage or Adequate Access • Mandated insurance coverage is not the same as access to health care when one needs it. Federal law. – People without insurance secure care in the United States. – In the British medical journal Lancet Oncology, a study on cancer survival rates after 5 years show Britain 16 th out of 23 countries for females and 15 th in males. The U. S. is at the top. Outcomes, not life expectancy are key. – Michael Moore in his movie “Sicko” where I have a cameo appearance, points to the wonderful health care systems in Canada, UK, France, and Cuba, which are all “free. ” – People with government coverage wait and wait in socialist systems. – Berlusconi, Canada. OR & CA turned down initiatives and Switzerland just voted against single payer. 3. 2 million out of 32 mill. Canadians waiting to get a primary care doc. 827, 429 on 7 waiting list for procedures.

– Rituxan and my uncle; twins; quadruplets in Calgary; brain tumor patients go to the U. S. and sue Ontario government for unjustly long wait times. – Belinda Stronach, former Can. Tory MP who switched to the Liberal party in 05, opposed a two-tiered hc system for everyone but herself. When diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2007, on the advice of her doctor in Canada, she flew to California for her surgery and paid for it out of her own wallet. – In Canada— 13 th out of 22 OECD countries in MRI machines and 17 th out of 21 in CT scanners per 000. – Average wait in 2007 from seeing a primary care doctor to getting treatment by a specialist--18. 3 weeks. – Canada Supreme Court decision June 2005 --Ban on private health insurance and health care is illegal--Chief Justice Beverly Mc. Lachlin “access to a waiting list is not access to health care” “Idea of a single payer system without a waiting list is an oxymoron. ” – Madame Justice Marie Deschamps “Canada has the very best health care that the 1970 s can provide” 8

– Shortest CT Scan wait 1 month; longest 2 months – MRI wait between 7. 8 and 20 weeks – Longest waits--neurosurgery and orthopedics – Shortest--medical oncology 4. 2 weeks; radiation treatment 5. 7 weeks 9

Universal Coverage • Central tenant of Universal Coverage: Through individual and employer mandates, government could more efficiently manage the insurance system, cut out profits, and insure everyone. • Apply this statement to any other area of our economy, and it becomes absurd. • Is the Post Office more efficient than Federal Express or UPS because it doesn’t have to earn a profit? • Why not abolish competition in markets that provide other necessities: HUD could build all of our houses; DOT could produce our cars; the Department of Agriculture could provide us with food, from the farm to the store shelf. 10

• A big part of the push for individual mandates rests on an assertion that the uninsured, particularly the young, high earning, voluntarily uninsured, push costs onto the private insurance system by using free care and expensive emergency rooms. This sounds good, and is used by politicians looking for justification for new taxes and mandates. Yet it fails under examination. • Dr. Daniel Kessler of Stanford just showed in a study that public programs (Medicaid and Medicare) add 10% to premiums of private payers; the uninsured only 1. 4% 11

• Insurance should be there for catastrophes as with auto and home insurance and should not be tied to your employer. • We don’t use our car insurance to replace our tires or our house insurance to replace a broken window. 12

The Quest for Universal Coverage: It started in Massachusetts in January 2006 Mass Miracle or Mess • Massachusetts passed Romney Care into law, April 2006. The Details: To solve the problem of the MA uninsured • Plan built on employer mandate and individual mandate and government created Commonwealth Connector, which allows for pre-tax purchase of individual health plans. – Employers not providing health insurance will be taxed at $295 per head. – Beginning in July 2007, residents must purchase a stateapproved plan or be fined. 13

• One year and a half later, and the Massachusetts plan is moving along, although a bit modified in both its costs and now, goals. – Of the 115, 418 who have enrolled, 90, 000 have signed up for free plans. Insurance companies now asking for more $ than state willing to pay. Gov. Patrick wants to limit enrollment in the “free plan. ” Threat of budget crunch. – Those who have signed up for subsidized plans are older and sicker than the general population. – Premiums can be as high as 9. 6 percent of a person’s income, this is before deductibles and co-pays. 14

– Non-subsidized plans (Commonwealth Choice) started May 1 and were mandatory by July 1. As of Sept. 1, only 7, 164 have signed up. $219 penalty does not kick in til Dec. 1. – Commonwealth Connector Authority bowed to pressure and reduced monthly premiums on subsidized but not entirely free plans. Will increase program costs by $13 million. – Connector authority decided more than 20 percent of uninsured will not have to purchase insurance, and will therefore still rely on free pool subsidies. – The new bureaucracy has indeed dictated insurance design, meaning that 250, 000 people who have insurance will now have to purchase other policies or face fines. 15

• It’s not a question of if it will achieve universal coverage. It won’t. Its only a question of how much more it will cost taxpayers and residents of Massachusetts once it’s fully in place. • The same results will happen under any universal coverage plan be it Hillary’s, Edwards’, Schwarzenegger’s etc. • And, all of these plans based on mandates, taxes, insurance company controls, and expansion of Medicaid and S-CHIP will ultimately take us down the path to “Socialized Medicine. ” 16

California Care • In California, Gov. Schwarzenegger on January 8, 2007, proposed a $12 billion expansion of care to provide universal coverage to 6. 5 million uninsured –He called it a “Shared Responsibility” program. – Individual mandate, employer mandate, guaranteed issue, higher Medicaid reimbursement rates from the feds, high risk pool for the working poor, tax on doctors and hospitals, and expand Medi-Cal & SCHIP 17

Update on the Governor’s plan today? – No Republican had sponsored a bill based on his plan. – The Governor vetoed AB-8, the Nunez Bill based on a 7. 5% employer mandate and no individual mandate. – Introduced as part of a special session the Health Care Security and Cost Reduction Act—October 9/07 to enhance Jan. 07 proposal – Based on an individual mandate, guaranteed issue, and affordability. – Individual mandate: all Californians required to have insurance and substantial enough to protect families against catastrophic costs – Employer mandate: Employers not offering coverage will contribute based upon a sliding scale from 0 to 4% of payroll 18

– Doctors’ responsibility: removed 2% tax on gross revenue but doctors will have new responsibilities and incentives for the newly insured – Guaranteed issue: all Californians will be able to buy insurance regardless of medical history or age – Affordability: Establishes new state subsidized purchasing pool & reduces the amount that working poor will have to pay for coverage in the pool • 100 -150% of poverty line—no contribution • Sliding scale up to 250% of poverty—premium limited to 5% of income • Medi-Cal and Healthy families to be expanded to provide low cost, no cost coverage to children-$52, 000 for a family of 3, regardless of immigration 19 status

Where is the Governor’s plan today? – No financing attached; Financing mechanism based on leasing the lottery to be put to Californians in a ballot initiative in 2008. – Coalition of California labor and consumer groups trailing Gov. around the state to challenge and rebut his plan-Oct 16/07 Spending will Explode: – People with health insurance consume more than those without it. Forcing people to acquire health insurance will increase total health care consumption. – Bureaucracy will grow and taxes will increase. 20

Practical Solutions from PRI • End employer-based health insurance--a pillar of Giuliani’s health plan; first dollar coverage; WW II gift, contributes to uninsured problem. • President’s tax equalization plan—level the playing field • Allow the purchase of health care across the state lines. • Reduce state regulations and mandates on insurance plans. 1901 Nationwide in 2007; up from 1843 in 2006. • Eliminate “guaranteed issue” and “community rating. ” • Portability 21

• Expand Tax Breaks for Health Savings Accounts. These provide for tax-free accumulation and real protection against large losses, California Governor supports this. • Get people affordable care at convenient locations: – Mini-clinics at Wal. Mart, Target, Walk-In Centers o o o People with Medicaid use emergency rooms even more than the uninsured. There is price “Transparency”. Can reduce costs by uninsured not using emergency rooms Reduce regulations: Doctor-Nurse Practitioner ratio. CA Governor supports this. 22

• Med-Mal Reform • Vouchers for the working poor so they can purchase insurance from a state pool. • High risk pools for the working poor. • Free market solutions will ensure choice, quality, and affordable health care for all Americans. • The excitement over universal coverage as a solution to the uninsured problem will not solve our problems and will lead to a single-payer system down the road. “If you think health care is expensive, wait until it is free. ” 23

Sources • Special Report: The Uninsured: A Hidden Burden on Texas Employers and Communities, April 2005, Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Texas Comptroller • “Access to Health Insurance for the Uninsured, ” Texas Health Institute, December 1, 2006. • “Impact of Premium Changes in the Oregon Health Plan, ” Office for Oregon Health Policy and Research, February 2004. • Jonathan Oberlander, “Health Reform Interrupted: The Unraveling of the Oregon Health Plan, ” Health Affairs, December 19, 2006 • Massachusetts premium and enrollment data: http: //www. mass. gov/? page. ID=hichomepage&L=1&L 0=Home&sid=Qhic • Massachusetts-Style Coverage Expansion: What would it cost in California? California Health. Care Foundation, April 2006. • Peter J. Cunningham, “What Accounts for Differences in the Use of Hospital Emergency Departments Across U. S. Communities? , ” Health Affairs, July 18, 2006. 24