A Nebraskan's View

by Senator Ben Nelson Tuesday, January 19, 2010 HEALTH BILL CONTROLS COSTS There is no doubt that the Senate Health Care Reform bill has caused controversy with attacks coming from both sides. Some think it goes too far, others think it doesn’t go far enough. Like is so often the case, there are many in the middle who have contacted me and are pleased we are doing something because they understand that the system needs to be repaired. Among those who have contacted me are some of the 220,000 Nebraskans who don’t have health insurance, which includes people who can’t get insurance because of a pre-existing condition. Saves Billions of Dollars Others who’ve contacted me are worried about escalating premiums that all but wipe out their pay raises, if they got a pay raise. For them, it needs to be pointed out that the bill saves us money. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will save $132 billion over the first 10 years and as much as $1.3 trillion over the second 10 years until 2029. It lowers costs because it is fully paid for and includes $447 billion returned to middle class Americans in tax credits to help make insurance more affordable.Changing the Way to Cover the Uninsured Today Nebraskans pay about 15 percent more for insurance to cover the costs when the uninsured seek medical treatment they can’t pay for at clinics and emergency rooms. This cost shifting will dramatically drop, reducing premium increases for all Nebraskans. Nebraska’s small businesses will have access to a new Small Business Health Options Program. They can pool together for better insurance coverage, and they will receive tax credits to help them cover employees. Tax Credits for Small Business Currently 70% of Nebraska small businesses cannot afford or do not have access to health insurance. Small business health insurance tax credits will make health insurance more affordable for an estimated 33,000 Nebraska small businesses. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will be able to test various different payment structures designed to foster patient-centered care, improve quality, and slow the rate of Medicare cost growth. Nebraska has a model for that at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln. The bill provides grants for doctors serving in rural areas so people living in rural Nebraska will continue to have access to treatment. The bill offers tax relief for health professionals participating in state-funded student loan repayment programs. It creates the same tax exemption used for the federal loan repayment program for state-funded programs not eligible under current federal guidelines. This will help doctors and nurses serve in rural areas. It moves toward closing the Medicare Part D doughnut hole, saving thousands in medicine costs for 48,000 Nebraskans. The Senate bill permits states to join together to allow private insurance to be purchased across state lines, which is a big deal that will improve competitiveness. It requires the Office of Personnel Management to negotiate contracts, just like they do for the various private health plans available to Members of Congress offered by insurance companies such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Like great legislation of the past, including Social Security, Medicare, and Civil Rights, history will likely show that health care reform was the right thing to do.