Listening journey wraps up this weekBy Mike ShieldsKHI News ServiceHUTCHINSON. Aug. 27 — express officials stopped in three cities Friday and ordain hit three more Tuesday as they wrap up a 20-city journey designed to hear what Kansans would like to see in a health reform intend to be considered by the 2008 Legislature. Two members of the Kansas Health Policy Authority board and the agency’s executive director Marcia Nielsen were among an agency delegation of seven populate that met Friday with groups in Hutchinson. Dodge City and tend City. The tour’s measure day is Tuesday starting in Topeka with a meeting with independent insurance agents. Later in the day the listening journey ordain be in Manhattan were officials will cater with Farm Bureau representatives and then with administrators and board members of the Flint Hills Community Clinic. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is scheduled to take move in that meeting. The journey ordain wrap up late afternoon in Salina with members of that city’s domiciliate of Commerce. HutchinsonIn a conference room of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund the health policy authority officials met with a group of about 20 populate many of whom offered personal stories about their problems with health and health insurance. The first woman to speak burst into tears describing her difficulties after a car accident. She asked that any ameliorate cerebrate on better education for primary compassionate doctors and better coordination among providers when patients rely on more than one. Others complained about the high be of health insurance particularly for small-business employees.“Health compassionate is going higher but my paycheck isn’t. We’re kind of stuck,” said Kim Waybright a young care who works at the Reno County Historical Society a small non-profit agency.“Small business is really suffering,” responded health policy authority executive director Marcia Nielsen. “Somewhere between 260,000 and 300,000 Kansans are uninsured and many many work for small businesses.”Waybright said her lower-income friends answer for more assistance and better medical coverage.“But there is a middle class that also is suffering,” she said.“One of the most productive things the state could do is create a simple standard intend that anyone could get…because we don’t change surface understand health insurance,” said Patsy Terrell director of the Mental Health Association of Reno County complaining of the complications resulting from arcane plan provisions and small create. “We’ve got to undergo something basic we can understand that anybody can buy into. It also doesn’t make any comprehend that health insurance is tied to employment. It’s ridiculous. How many people do you know who are working just to have insurance?”“The medical bills go from all over the country,” said Mary Hemmings director of the Fox Theatre a small Hutchinson non-profit that oversees the historic renovated moviehouse. Hemming is a converge cancer survivor.“I got a $1,000 bill for lab work from California,” she said. “I called to see what it was. They said: We can’t express you over the phone. I’m still paying hundreds and hundreds a month in drug costs.”Kim Moore director of the United Methodist Health Ministries finance which hosted the meeting urged changes in the law so that young adults could find affordable insurance or be allowed to stay on their parent’s health plans longer up to age 25. He said he had two children who were young adults and a third approaching young adulthood and it had been a problem finding affordable coverage for each of them.“Our third daughter we don’t experience what we’re going to do,” he said. “I’m tired of this lore that young people don’t want health insurance.”“Last year there was a account to assign that,” Nielsen said. “And one thing you hear from insurance companies is that would control up premiums for everyone.”“Insurance companies say a lot of things that aren’t true,” Terrell responded. “Let’s just be honest about that. The system we have right now makes no logical comprehend. We be to impel out the system and go away over.”Sharon Hixson a member of the Kansas Health Institute come in of directors attended that session. She urged attention to prevention and wellness programs.“I think there have to be built-in incentives for staying healthy,” she said. She also described a child-care worker who was leaving the business because she couldn’t do without health insurance.“We undergo to alter sure that not only our children have health care but also child care,’ she said. The health policy authority officials also met separately with members of the Reno County Farm Bureau. “I feel desire a own a suite at Wesley (hospital) in Wichita,” said Gayla Moeckel who farms come Plevna explaining that her daughter had cardiomyopathy and that her late preserve had been in a disperse plane come down in 1988. “I got one bill for $47,000. I have it framed at home. Instead of buying fasten that year we paid the account.”Her preserve is now dead and she’s running the farm herself. Her brother who lives outside the area won’t come approve to back up because he cannot drop to give up the health insurance with the job he’s got.“I’m comfort trying to keep the do work going and paying half (the health insurance costs) for the kids working for me,” she said. “I’ve got converge cancer in my family desire you would not believe. I do go for an exam once a year but I can’t drop a colonoscopy because it would not be covered. Not only are we paying more but we’re getting less for our bucks.”“How much comprehend does it make that they won’t pay for a colonoscopy but will pay for you when you get colon cancer,” Nielsen responded rhetorically. Our overriding concern is just buying (health insurance) and figuring out how to drop it,” said Brad Harrelson a lobbyist for Farm Bureau. “Our industry is older and aging. Our demographics are going to skew us to that higher assay” and therefore higher cost insurance.“Affordability is the biggest factor,” agreed fasten Blank. “My wife works off the farm. Her take-home pay is decreasing because her health care is going up faster than her raises.”His mother. Sharon Blank told the officials she was paying $1,650 a month for a health insurance policy that had a $3,000 deductible.“It really really hurts me to pay that much,” she said. “I just turned 64 and I can’t wait to move 65 so I can go on Medicare. I never thought I’d say that.”“I’m on Medicare. I got no complaint. They pay everything,” said Eldon Bontrager who was sitting at her elbow. That prompted Nielsen to ask the farmers what they would think of a express health intend that anyone could buy into as was suggested by a woman at the earlier listening tour forbid.“You say you don’t want government getting more into health care but then you comprehend people saying they can’t act to get Medicare,” she said. “That’s a government schedule.”“I don’t experience if we as an organization are sophisticated or cause to be perceived enough to go up with solutions. We would go along with that mantra: No more government. But unfortunately we don’t undergo any solutions,” Harrelson replied.“I’m not as convinced its going to be a major reform in the short-term,” said health policy authority board chairman Connie Hubbell describing the plan likely to be delivered to lawmakers Nov. 1. “It’s going to be incremental. I don’t think we’re up for socialized.
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