Senator Collins Meets with President Obama to discuss Health Care Reform

July 17, 2009 Washington, D.C. –At the request of the President, Senator Susan Collins today attended an hour-long meeting in the Oval Office to discuss her thoughts on health care reform. Following the meeting, she released this statement: “We had a very good discussion and I am very impressed with the President’s sincere openness to my thoughts on how to expand access to affordable health care coverage and to reform our health care system to improve outcomes and lower costs. “Clearly, soaring health insurance premiums have made insurance increasingly unaffordable for many families and small businesses, and there are far too many Americans without health insurance or with woefully inadequate coverage. “During our meeting, we discussed the contents, the goals, and the timetable for health care reform legislation. I spoke about the importance of delivery system reforms. The State of Maine is a high-quality, low-cost state, and it is critical that our state’s health care providers are not harmed by reforms. We must focus on holding on to what is good about our system and improving what is not working. “This is a major challenge. Health care affects every single person in our country and represents one sixth of our nation’s economy. That is why I urged the President not to set an artificial deadline governing such an important bill. We must proceed in a deliberative, bipartisan and careful fashion. Rushed legislation won’t be nearly as well thought out as it should be, it will cost more than it should, and the process will be divisive.”

Snowe Meets with President to Discuss Overhaul of the American Health Care System

July 16, 2009 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care, and part of a select working group of senior committee members meeting daily with Committee Chairman Baucus and Ranking Member Grassley to find common ground on health care reform, released the following statement today after being asked to the White House by President Obama for a meeting to discuss congressional efforts to provide high-quality, affordable health care coverage: "With one in four Americans suffering from a lack of affordable coverage, I told the President today that I am committed to the goal of providing universal, affordable health care this year, and I am convinced the President shares my goal. The impact of this bill – on both health and the economy – demands we get this right. So I also said that the process for reforming the system must match the enormity of the task at hand. We must calibrate the speed of our action on this monumental issue to the necessity to get this right. It took nearly a year and a half for the Johnson Administration to create Medicare to cover 20 million seniors – versus the nearly 70 million who today lack substantive coverage. "One of the areas on which we can find common ground and ensure affordable health care for all people is through my ‘safety net plan’ as a fall back option. This option would be available from day one in any state where – after market and insurance reforms are implemented – affordable, competitive plans still do not exist. And finally, I told the President that we appreciate and are anxious for his support as we tackle one of the most difficult aspects of any major legislation – finding the means to pay for it. Ultimately, the Finance Committee has the responsibility to pay for this proposal but we certainly welcome the President’s leadership in overcoming these obstacles."

From Congresswoman Chellie Pingree

The current health care reform picture in Washington . . . The atmosphere in Washington is like no other time – people are more ready than they have ever been for substantial health care reform. We have a real opportunity to enact major health care reform that will provide Americans with better access to affordable, high quality care – and President Obama initiated this process by budgeting $634 billion for health reform. I am in frequent talks with the Speaker, Majority Leader, and Committee Chairs, and all three committees of jurisdiction in the House (Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Education and Labor) that are working on the same bill. As I write this now, our goal is to pass a bill by the end of July and we are hopeful that a final piece of legislation could be signed by the President as early as this fall. Drafts of the health reform legislation are now being circulated that will build upon the existing health care structure. The President affirmed, “if you like what you have you can keep it,” and the proposed package includes a menu of options to choose from, investments in Medicaid and Medicare – in fact I am circulating a letter to all of my colleagues supporting a robust Medicaid system, which is critical for Maine – and private health insurance options, with increased regulation, no denial for pre-existing conditions and reasonable cost-sharing. Last but not least, it is important to me that the bill includes a public plan option, which should increase choice and competition, be stable and open to everyone, and grow to meet the needs of a large influx of people over time. Click here for more on the House draft legislation

Congressman Mike Michaud holding Town Meeting Call In on Health Care Reform

Interested Mainers are encouraged to call!

877-269-7289

PIN to enter call is

14635

Monday, July 20, 2009

7:10 pm

This forum will provide Mainers a chance to receive an update on what is going on in Congress on health care reform, but more importantly, it is a chance for

Mike to hear directly from Mainers.

Help for Caregivers of Veterans Advances in House

Wednesday, July 15 2009 WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Mike Michaud’s bill, the Caregiver Assistance and Resource Enhancement Act (CARE Act), advanced through the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The bill would establish a caregiver program to help family and non-family members who provide care for disabled, ill, or injured veterans. The bill is expected to be considered by the full House of Representatives soon. “Family caregivers of our veterans have made great sacrifices,” said Michaud, Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee. “I have heard from family members who gave up their jobs, delayed their schooling, or made other significant life-changing sacrifices in order to be by their loved one’s side. This raises questions about the VA’s current efforts to help caregivers and whether there are sufficient supportive services in place. Additionally, there are concerns about the lack of coordination of caregiver benefits when the service member transitions to veteran status. Supportive services that family caregivers may have depended on during military service are suddenly discontinued when the wounded warrior transitions to the VA system. The CARE Act will help address these shortcomings and provide veterans’ caregivers with some much needed support.” VA does not collect data on caregivers of veterans. As such, the number of family members who provide care for veterans is unknown. However, a July 2007 report released by the Dole-Shalala Commission found that of the 1,730 injured OEF/OIF veterans surveyed, about 21 percent of active duty, 15 percent of the reserve, and 24 percent of retired/separated servicemembers had friends or family who gave up a job to be the caregiver. The caregiver program provides education sessions for improved care giving, counseling, and respite care to the family caregiver, or another individual designated by the veteran. The measure also provides a financial stipend and medical care to eligible primary family caregivers of certain veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom/ Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF), and reimburses the caregiver for travel, lodging, and per diem expenses for accompanying the veteran to medical appointments. In addition to providing direct support to the caregivers, the CARE Act calls for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) to develop a plan for providing enduring support services for caregivers. It also mandates that the VA conduct a survey on caregivers at least once every three years so that collected information will help identify gaps and potential ways to further improve support services and benefits for caregivers.

SAVE THE DATE

The National Direct Care Partnership Meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 27th at 4 pm eastern time. When I get the agenda, phone number and the conference code, I'll post it. Join the National Direct Care Partnership mailing list. Thanks! Hope you can make the call.

New Health and Dental Benefits Available NOW for Direct Care Workers and Child Care Providers!

Your Union working for You Hello MSEA Care Division Members - MSEA is excited to announce to you, who do so much to help improve the lives of those you care for, the availability of a dental insurance plan and a limited benefit health insurance option! As members or service fee payers of Local 771 and Kids First at MSEA, you are a prt of the recently formed Care Division. MSEA created the Care Division to help manage and advocate for the needs of similar groups of workers who care for others - direct care workers and child care providers. THE DENTAL PLAN is a comprehensive plan that can cover you alone or you and any combination of your immediate family members (spouse and/or kids)! There are two levels of coverage to choose from. THE HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION is a limited benefit plan. It is not meant to cover catastrophic events but does get you covered for doctor visits, wellness check ups, and a range of diagnostic services. Again, there are two plans to choose from and you can purchase coverage for yourself, you and your spouse, you and your kids, or the whole family! The best part about these plans is that there is no pre-existing condition clause. This means that no member or service fee payer at MSEA is refused coverage. If your family has temporarily lost regular health insurance, this coverage can act as a bridge to avoid being completely uninsured. And this isn't the end. MSEA, Kids First, and Local 771 are fully committed to helping find a solution to America's health care crisis. It's the number one thing our members need. Our goal, and the goal of a wide array of partner organizations all over the country, is to ensure that ALL Americans have access to adequate, affordable health insurance. If you have any questions or are interested in signing up for either of these plans, please call Aymie Walsh, Mike Roland, or Jay Economy at MSEA, 1-800-452-8794. You can also call Aetna and Delta Dental directly to inquire about these plans. Delta Dental's number is 1-800-932-0783. Aetna's number is 1-888-772-9682. Let either insurance know that you are calling for information on the SEIU Voluntary Health Access Trust Plans. These plans are one small step to address the need, now. We need your help to get the rest of the way! If you aren't a full member, become one and talk to others about becoming members of our union. Be a part of the Union Difference! We are truly stronger together! In Solidarity, Helen Hanson President of Local 771 Penni Theriault President, Kids First