Health Care Reform Update: Iowan Testifies Before Congress on High Cost of Health Care for Small Business
by Alta Price, M.D.I am very excited about the big economic forum, When the Paycheck Stops, we are having in the Quad Cities today, Wednesday, and Thursday, which you can also read about by just scrolling down this page. My ten minutes on Thursday will be devoted to summarizing the House health care reform bill, Karen Metcalf having the much harder job of doing the same for the Senate bill (still a work in progress, as you know).
Karen made my job even easier by telling me I could find everything I need at this website page about the Affordable Health Care for America Act located at the House Committee on Energy and Commerce website. I particularly like the detailed summary of the bill, the implementation timeline, the district by district impact of the bill, and the list of supporting organizations (although I was disturbed to see that the big Pathology organizations aren’t listed, many physician organizations, including the American Medical Association, have endorsed the bill). There are lots of fact sheets on different aspects of the bill. This is a great place to find answers to your questions about the House health care reform bill.
While you are there, read the testimony given by Norman “Mick” Landauer on October 20, 2009 at a hearing by the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee on The High Cost of Small Business Health Insurance: Limited Options, Limited Coverage. I met Mr. Landauer at a health care reform event Monday, November 30 hosted by Congressman Bruce Braley (a member of Energy and Commerce) for Roxanne Conlin, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Chuck Grassley. Mr. Landauer is the owner of Bi-State Muffler & Brake shops in the Quad Cities. He spoke about the rising costs of his premiums, due mostly to one employee with congenital heart disease – himself. To keep the premiums down, his business has gone to high deductible plans. If their deductibles rise next year to the predicted annual rate of $16,000 for an individual and $32,000 for a family, to preserve health insurance for his employees he will have to take himself off the policy and lose access to the care he needs to live.
To say his story is compelling would understate the impact it had on me. You can also read coverage of his story in the Quad-City Times. It is for people like Mick that we need to get this done.
Price is a physician practicing Pathology in Davenport, Iowa. One of
the original Deaniacs, she stays involved with Democracy for America,
Iowa, and the Quad Cities. She advocates for quality, affordable health
care for all, primarily as a volunteer with Progressive Action for the
Common Good (Health Care Reform Issue Forum). Watch for Dr. Price's Health Care Reform Update every Tuesday here on Blog for Iowa. E-Mail Alta Price
Blog For Iowa 
I can relate well to the story of Mr. Landauer. I own a very small business that cannot afford to provide insurance to my dedicated employees, and even if I could, My wife and I both are diabetic and have heart disease. I too would have to exclude both my wife and myself from coverage to even begin to provide health coverage for my employees. I am also concerned that my definition of “affordable” and the government's definition will be miles apart.
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