COVERITLIVE.COM

11:01

SenateDemocrats -

Good morning everyone, we'll be getting started in just a few moments.

11:05

Senator Karen Keiser - Good morning. My laptop seems unable to open this window, so I am using my assistant's computer. Sorry for the delay.
Welcome and thanks for joining me for this online chat about health care reform.
I want to start by giving you a brief update on health reform activities and issues. We are working with our Congressional delegation, the White House, other state legislators and advocates to achieve real health care reform before the end of this year.
Each week, I participate in a conference call with White House officials and state legislators from other states to discuss what role the states can play to achieve real reform. Other states participating include Iowa, Minn., Ma., New Mexico, Penn. and Wisconsin.
I have been highlighting some of our state's progressive reforms and programs, including the passage of my administrative simplification bill last session that will cut the waste and duplication in health care administration. We have much work ahead.

So, what I'd like to do over the next hour is hear from you. Tell me what your concerns and questions are, and let's get started.

11:06

[Comment From Ken Iverson]
Is the Republican opposition to Obama's health care reform ideas an attempt to hamstring him for the next 3.5 years? Is this a fight for power by the Republicans and their ilk with Health Care the battleground?

11:07

Senator Karen Keiser - I imagine many political pundits will make this health care issue a watershed event for the Obama administration. Most everyone seems to agree that the bill must be signed this year, when there is a window open to achieve real change before the next election cycle starts in earnest.

11:10

Senator Karen Keiser - Is anyone on-line? We seem to be having some technical difficulties.

11:10

[Comment From Robert Deppe]
Lets get down to the real issues, how will this be paid for?

11:11

[Comment From Erik Smith]
I'm online -- watching as a reporter.

11:11

[Comment From Roberta Riley]
I'm online, watching as a concerned citizen

11:12

Senator Karen Keiser -

We're already paying for it. We currently spend about twice as much per person for health care in our country than any other industrialized country. If we eliminate the waste and duplication that's already in the system, we'll get a lot of the problem fixed. Congress will make the final decisions on what other elements might be used.

11:13

[Comment From Marian Sofferin]
What are the viable?realistic options for health care reform?

11:15

Senator Karen Keiser -

The current proposals in both the House and the Senate all revolve around the idea of a "marketplace" or "exchange" where individuals can choose between various health plans, but all of the plans would be comprehensive health care, not plans that exempt standard health care, and pre-existing conditions would not be a barrier. The fight right now is whether one of those plans would be a public plan. I support the public option because I think it would allow for accountability, transparency, and a real alternative.

11:16

[Comment From Robby Stern]
You have send that there should be incentives for states to supplement or enrich a federally mandated set of benefits. Do you anticipate that the federally mandated set of benefits will not be comprehensive? Do you see it necessary to have different sets of enhancements state by state.

11:18

Senator Karen Keiser - I am always struck by the story I heard from Elaine Bernard, who is at Harvard University. She gave a speech in our state when she was teaching at Simon Frazier university in Canada about the genesis of fire departments. She asked, did you know that at the turn of the last century, there were no public fire departments. People had to buy individual fire insurance, and if a fire broke out the insurance company sent their fire department. That's one of the untold reasons why so many our our great cities burned down, it wasn't all about the cow that kicked over the latern. There was no public fire department.
I remember that story when we think about public health insurance.

11:18

[Comment From Ken Iverson]
I'm here. I favor the Public Option. What are its chances of being part of the final bill?

11:19

Senator Karen Keiser - I am concerned that whatever the federal government sets as a standard be a floor and not a ceiling. This goes for insurance standards as well as benefits. I think there should be room to "bargain up." because to be frank, our state has a higher standard already, and I am not eager to go backwards.

11:20

[Comment From John Scanlon, Kent]
At what point in the legislative process will specific details be known about medical issue coverage? For example, organ & tissue transplants; would current Medicare provisions be integrated into the new bill? Or would they continue to stand alone? (For certain patients, under Medicare, medication payments stop after 36 months.)

11:21

Senator Karen Keiser - I think it is interesting that a couple of months ago, people called the public option unlikely, or even impossible. The Republicans do remain uniformly opposed. However, I think the public support for a single payer system has helped push the public option forward and given it more momentum. I was encouraged to see former Sen. Tom Daschle comment recently that the public option was doable.

11:22

[Comment From Rhonda Hauff]
Most people really believe we need to have a non-categorical, public option, for people to participate in. Are you working to help this happen ?

11:23

Senator Karen Keiser - I think specific questions about coverage are premature at this point. But I do want to reassure you that all plans in the "exchange" would have to be comprehensive.

11:23

Senator Karen Keiser - I am not familiar with the term "non-categorical public option," and am not sure that that means.

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