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Health professionals speak out on to Obamacare repeal-replace effort

From left, Rebecca Preve of the Franklin County Office of the Aging, Matt Scollin of Adirondack Health, Susan Delahanty of the Adirondack Health Initiative, Tess Barker of Planned Parenthood of the North Country New York, Barry Brogan of the North Country Behavioral Health Network and Phyllis Magnus of Voters for Change pose Thursday, June 29 at a forum Voters for Change hosted. (Photo provided — Steve Erman)

On Thursday, June 29, Adirondack Voters for Change sponsored a forum on changes to health care legislation currently being proposed in Congress, with the focus on how these changes would affect the North Country.

The panel included representatives from leading health care organizations in the region, including Matt Scollin, communications director of Adirondack Health; Rebecca Preve, director of the Franklin County Office of the Aging; Barry Brogan, executive director of the North Country Behavioral Health Network; and Tess Barker, executive director of Planned Parenthood of the North Country New York. The panel was moderated by Susan Delehanty, former executive director of Citizen Advocates Inc. who now leads the steering committee of the Adirondack Health Initiative.

One of the most emotionally charged comments came from a young woman toward the end of the presentation.

“We need to recognize that Obamacare isn’t working,” she said. “My health care premiums are going up by 30 percent, and my salary is only increasing by 2 percent. Deductibles keep going up. A lot of places don’t even have a plan offered by an insurance company for people on the exchanges. We have to do something.”

Barry Brogan of the Behavioral Health Network responded: “You’re right” he said. “We need to improve the affordability of health insurance and health care delivery. But every problem you just described, this Republican plan will make worse.”

In great detail, and with a dizzying number of charts and statistics, the four panelists illustrated just how negative the changes to the Affordable Care Act proposed so far by this Republican Congress would be for the North Country.

Matt Scollin pointed out that approximately 8,800 people would be at risk of losing coverage in the area served by Adirondack Health if this legislation is passed, including 3,700 in Essex County and 5,100 in Franklin. However, patients would still be treated in the emergency room, regardless of ability to pay. The loss of revenue to Adirondack Health could amount to more than $22 million over 10 years.

Barry Brogan explained that in order to make up for losses due to uncompensated service, facilities would be forced to consolidate programs or possibly even close in extreme cases. Staffing reductions would be likely. In an area like this, where health care facilities are a major employer, this could have a serious economic impact on the region.

Brogan also talked about the impact on those with mental health issues, including substance abuse.

“The opioid epidemic is real,” he said, “and it won’t be long before everyone in this room will know someone or perhaps have a family member who is struggling with addiction. Treatment for addictions will suffer under this legislation, as the result of cuts to Medicaid.”

Rebecca Preve said that Medicaid cuts would also be devastating to the elderly who need home health care or nursing home care. Currently, 74 percent of North Country nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid. There is already a shortage of nursing home beds in the area because Medicaid reimbursement rates are low and profitability of nursing homes is marginal. Similarly, it is difficult to recruit workers to be home health aides because compensation is poor, and any further cuts would likely result in an even greater shortage. The result, she said, could be that poor elderly people living alone will no longer be able to have a bath or get a hot meal.

Planned Parenthood is singled out for especially harsh treatment under the proposed legislation, which bars Medicaid reimbursement to Planned Parenthood for one year. Tess Barker of PPNCNY pointed out that 60 percent of Planned Parenthood clients are on Medicaid and barring reimbursement would be devastating, not only to the organization but to all the low-income women it serves. Especially in rural areas, Barker pointed out that if Planned Parenthood is forced to close clinics, often there would not be affordable, accessible options for these women to receive the primary care, health screenings, pre-conception care and birth control that they currently get from Planned Parenthood. The disruption could only result in poorer health outcomes for these women, she said, with more unplanned pregnancies likely to occur.

After listening to speakers describe all the groups who would be hurt if the current bill passes, an audience member asked who the winners would be. Barry Brogan responded, “If you have an income of over $200,000 and substantial investment income, you will love this bill, because you will get a major tax cut. And that is a tax cut on investment income, by the way, which is unearned income.”

One audience member asked what plan B would be if this bill manages to get passed, in spite of the fact that less than 25 percent of the public supports it. Matt Scollin replied that the official response of the Cuomo administration to that question is that there is no plan B. The legislation as currently proposed must be defeated, and concerned citizens need to make their voices heard, with phone calls, emails and letters. You can get more information and updates from the website “Fight for Quality Health Care/Governor Cuomo.”

Our congresswoman Elise Stefanik voted with Republican Party leaders in favor of similar health care changes in the House, and she would have to vote again on a bill reconciling the House and Senate versions. She can be contacted at her Plattsburgh office at 518-561-2324 or at her Washington office at 202-225-4611.

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Rosalie Fontana lives in Bloomingdale.

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