Recently in the Healthcare Category

Will you be in the Los Angeles area on July 13th? Join Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) for "Looking Ahead: Helathcare Policy, Trends and Business Opportunities." This regional conference series is hosted by WIPP, The Small Business Majority, National Association of Women Business Owners Los Angeles, National Association for the Self-Employed, and National Latina Business Women's Association Los Angeles.

This event offers an extraordinary opportunity for women business owners to explore what lies ahead in healthcare, and how it can impact your bottom line. Hear from experts about healthcare policy, new trends in healthcare, and ways for businesses to capitalize on this vastly growing sector.

Additionally, there will be focus on important healthcare resources available to small business owners and patient groups, such as Pfizer Helpful Answers patient assistance programs and other industry-wide programs.

Register at: http://www.wipp.org/events/event_details.asp?id=164239

Event Details:
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Often members provide us with information on subjects that they are very engaged in. Recently we received a link to a blog from Susan Shargel, a California health insurance broker, small business owner, and member of WIPP. We thought that you might find Susan's blog, Insurance Insights, to be informative: http://insuranceinsights.shargel.com We invite you to share your knowledge and comments. 

While everyone is finding things they don't like about healthcare reform, let's not forget that our current system is no bed of roses for small businesses. We fought for a decade to be able to form large pools so that we have increased market clout.

WIPP knows the current healthcare reform law is not perfect, but the Affordable Care Act made some significant changes that we believe will result in better choices and better prices for small businesses that currently do not have a workable market.  

The healthcare law puts into place important reforms. These reforms include:

•    Tax credits for small businesses that offer healthcare to their employees
•    Elimination of ratings on pre-existing conditions and health status
•    The creation of state exchanges and multi-state compacts to give small employers and individual purchasers more market clout  
•    Guaranteed issue and renewability
•    A simplified enrollment process

One of the cost containment issues that was not addressed in the reform law and would significantly drive down costs is limiting medical malpractice lawsuits. We urge the Congress to take action on this important component of reform.

The current marketplace is unworkable for small businesses. These elements of reform must remain in place for the market to make the necessary changes for small businesses and their employees.

WIPP is proud to feature a special guest blog by WIPP member and Co-Owner of Altamont Solutions Judy Lloyd. Her article "Virginia, there might be a Santa Clause: Judge Strikes Health Care Mandate" was recently featured in Fox & Hounds Daily:

Yesterday, Virginia Judge Henry Hudson found the individual health care mandate - a key part of national health care reform proposed by President Obama - unconstitutional. Putting the kibosh on this mandate, namely the provision that says Americans without health coverage must purchase their own insurance starting in 2014, may be the first in a line of rulings on the constitutionality of the Obama-care law and its impact on states.

A proud Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia's Attorney General, claimed victory saying the ruling was the right thing for Virginians who now won't be forced to buy health insurance. He said Congress had gone too far and that it was unfair to require individuals to purchase a product from a private entity - in this case - an insurance company.

Judge Hudson agreed, ruling that the health care mandate exceeds the federal government's authority under the "Commerce Clause" and that it was beyond Congressional power under the Constitution.

The focus of the ruling was on economic activity. The judge felt the federal government was attempting to regulate your decision to do nothing. As "doing nothing" isn't doing anything that affects commerce, such a mandate on ordinary people is beyond the scope of the commerce clause. This puts insurance companies in a bit of turmoil. Under the new law, they would have been required to cover people who are sick while healthy people would be required to have insurance by 2014. If there's no mandate, people would have the choice to wait until they get sick before purchasing coverage.

The ruling opens the door to arguments over whether parts of the law imposed as mandates are actually a "tax" or a "penalty" (think "tax" and "fee" in California terms).

The U.S. Department of Justice says they still think the law is constitutional and that Congress acted within its authority. However, if the individual mandate is unconstitutional, there is no way the law can get its intended funding. Congress could have passed a tax bill at the time they passed the health care bill, but fearing backlash from voters on the Obama agenda, Congress used this bill to circumvent that vote. Now, it's all under review.

The law, its challenges, and its constitutionality are reminiscent of the California legislature's attempt at single payer health care and its judicial challenges on employer mandates under ERISA at the U.S. Department of Labor. That time the federal government was run by the Bush Administration whose legal minds stopped the California employer mandate.

Watch for Florida's expected ruling later this week. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, a former Member of Congress is in the driver's seat. Nineteen other states are also in the middle of lawsuits. McCollum expects Judge Vincent (Florida) to rule similarly and potentially also challenge another provision - a federal mandate to add 1.9 million Floridians to health care rolls under Medicaid. McCollum says this will cause billions of dollars more in economic burden on states and their taxpayers.

In January, a new Congress run by the Republicans will evaluate where they are in the process. Who knows - it may open the door for further discussions offering consumers increased flexibility in the form of health savings accounts and association health plans - key proposals small businesses support. It will be an interesting New Year.

***WIPP welcomes and encourages all members to share their opinion on policy issues...interested in becoming a special guest blogger or sharing your opinion via social media? Please contact Oriana Camacho, WIPP Membership Director at ocamacho@wipp.org.

As the new Healthcare Law takes effect, it expands beyond Capitol Hill to enter our lives. Federal politics and budgets become personalized as the changes become our reality. In some instances, the modifications can generate confusion, which is why we need dependable resources to help us sort though them.
 
WIPP hosted a series of regional conferences: "Healthcare: Policy, Trends and Opportunities," in locales from San Francisco to Deerfield Beach, Florida, helping small business owners understand how the new Law affects them. The successful series will return next year, as WIPP continues to offer resources and information that will help you, as small business owners and individuals, navigate this policy.
 
Another great resource is Susan Shargel's blog, Insurance Insights, which tackles many of our pressing questions. Her latest entry, "Two Bills for Medicare?"  for instance, explains that starting January 1st, Medicare B and D premiums will be based on your income, resulting in two bills for prescriptions.  Shargel provides several charts and explanations to assist readers in understanding where they fit in.
 
Click here to read Susan Shargel's complete blog.