The Issue:
Access to quality health care for the uninsured.
Why It's Important:
Every United States citizen should be entitled to access to some level of quality healthcare. Providers should have the right to receive fair compensation for providing healthcare services. Without access to quality care, people run the risk of escalating health complications, thus driving up the morbidity and mortality and ultimately the cost of care. Currently, those already paying into the system are further burdened by the uncompensated costs of those without insurance.
Background:
Every day, health concerns arise for some of the approximately 6% of Wisconsin's uninsured citizens. Each time care is provided to uninsured patients, the cost of providing that care is passed on through to the rest of the system. This unfairly "taxes" those already paying in, both employees and employers alike. This action results in employers needing to charge more for goods and services, and employees having their income reduced.
Definitions
UH - defined as "Universal Healthcare," meaning that every citizen would have access to a baseline level of healthcare.
Uninsured - has no private or public health care coverage:
-No employer-provided insurance
-No privately purchased insurance
-No Medicaid, BadgerCare or Healthy Start
-No Medicare
*Definition of time period can vary
In 2000.....
Wisconsin had 5.1 million residents
4.8 million had health insurance (94%)
310,000 were uninsured (6%)
Uninsured during the last twelve months (also 2000 data)
4.5 million Wisconsin residents were insured for entire last 12 months (private or public coverage) (88%)
380,000 were uninsured part of last 12 months; insured part of that time (7%)
209,000 were uninsured during all of last 12 months (4%)
Wellness - wellness refers generally to the state of being healthy; healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being.
Primary Care - a term used for the activity of a healthcare provider who acts as a first point of consultation for all patients. Includes family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and at times OB/GYN physicians. It is important to note; however, that the last three of the above specialties are not technically general medicine specialties. These specialties are primary care, but NOT general medicine.
Physician Extenders - CRNA, NP, PA, Perfusionists (see below)
A nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse and advanced practice nurse who has acquired additional education and training to administer anesthesia. The title, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), reflect the nurse's qualifications and abilities.
A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse who has completed advanced nursing education (generally a master's degree) and training in the diagnosis and management of common medical conditions, including chronic illnesses. Nurse practitioners provide a broad range of health care services. While nurse practitioners are not trained in medicine, their advanced education in nursing makes this a fast-growing midlevel profession.
Physician Assistants (PAs) are non-physician clinicians licensed to practice medicine with a physician's supervision. Unlike nurse practitioners, who are trained in advanced nursing, PAs receive education specifically in the practice of medicine. In many states, PAs are state-certified and work under the auspices of the physician's license. Physician Assistants generally have a master's degree in medicine from an accredited university.
A Perfusionist, also known as a Clinical Perfusionist, is a trained health professional that operates the heart-lung machine during cardiac surgery and other surgeries that require cardiopulmonary bypass.
Baseline Level of Care - a specified level of healthcare services that would be provided under a "Universal Healthcare" plan.
BayCare Clinic's Position Statement on Universal Healthcare:
BayCare Clinic, LLP supports the concept of Universal Healthcare (herein "UH") with several important caveats that need to be met from the earliest implementation of a UH system:
A. All legal (Wisconsin/U.S.) residents should have access to a pre-determined baseline level of health care.
B. The baseline level of care should be established by a responsible group of health care providers who will consider the public good.
Example of possible policy options on defining "baseline"...
-The baseline level of healthcare should include components of wellness, prevention, and primary care, as well as acute injury and appropriate emergency care.
-The baseline level of care may be provided by physician extenders, working under the direction of a licensed primary care physician or specialty care physician.
-The baseline level of care may limit coverage for elective procedures and surgeries, and other expensive services (e.g. end-of-life care, renal-dialysis, transplants, cosmetic procedures, or premature births, etc.)
C. Employers and individuals should have the right and the option to buy into higher benefit levels.
D. Providers (facilities and physicians) should be paid fairly for their services no matter who the payer. This includes any and all government payors. Cost-shifting merely clouds the issues surrounding healthcare and is inappropriate and unfair. Cost-shifting is a "hidden tax" foisted upon non-government payors.
E. BayCare Clinic supports a free market economy, and supports free markets in health care also. Providers and insurers should compete on quality and cost.
F. BayCare Clinic feels that health insurers should have controls put in place that allow them to make a profit margin on providing competitive insurance services, but should not be allowed to profit from withholding care to needy insured.
G. BayCare Clinic feels that health promotion is a critical part of the solution to rising health care costs, and supports governmental actions to put some teeth into the ability of employers and to the state government to mandate participation in health initiatives.
Examples of possible initiatives:
Smoking Cessation Classes
Public No-Smoking Policy
Mandatory Seat Belt Incentives
Mandatory Helmet Incentives
Healthy School Lunches
Aggressive Food Labeling Standards
Mandatory Immunizations
Sunscreen and sun protection for adults and children
Minimum level of fitness and physical exercise
H. BayCare Clinic feels that personal responsibility on the part of the citizen is also a critical part of the solution to rising health care costs. BayCare supports regulations which provide employers with the ability to use incentives and disincentives to drive individual behaviors in a healthy and positive fashion. This can be accomplished by discounts for participation in healthy lifestyles, and/or penalties for refusing to.
BayCare Clinic recognizes and acknowledges the need for universal access to quality health care, and for specialty physicians to do their part in bringing this to fruition. The Clinic also recognizes that reasonable prices for health care services must be attainable for the economic good of the entire state (including its residents and businesses), but fair payment to providers is also a necessity. A Legislative proposal which address these needs--from both perspectives--will be fully supported by BayCare Clinic.
BayCare Clinic physicians provide high quality, necessary health care to all patients, regardless of the patient’s ability to pay for their care.
BayCare Clinic recognizes that there are instances when a patient does not have the means to pay for his/her necessary medical care. The Clinic has well defined policies that address and aid the patient and his/her family who are experiencing financial hardship in relation to paying for care. BayCare Clinic has financial advisors on staff to work one-on-one with the patient, taking each individual's circumstance into consideration.
There are also times when care cannot be reimbursed. As a result of this, the clinic will “write-off” the patient debt. In 2008 alone, nearly $1,400,000 in charity care was written-off by BayCare Clinic.
BayCare Clinic has made a commitment to the communities it serves, and that commitment includes providing high quality, necessary health care to all patients.
