DENTON=20
(UNT), Texas =96 President Obama is encouraging each =
chamber of=20
Congress to approve a healthcare bill before the =
August recess=20
begins on August 7. The Senate made positive =
strides=20
toward that goal when the Senate Health Committee =
passed the=20
=93Affordable Health Choices Act=94 =
recently.
University=20
of North Texas professor Dr. James Swan says that he =
believes=20
that the bill that seems to be emerging is generally=20
positive. Swan is a professor in the Department =
of=20
Applied Gerontology. One of 10 applied social =
science=20
and professional training programs in UNT=92s College =
of Public=20
Affairs and Community Service, the Department of =
Gerontology=20
studies aging and the needs of America=92s aging=20
population.
Prior to=20
joining the UNT faculty in 2004, Swan served on the =
faculty at=20
Wichita State University where he did extensive =
research on=20
the Clinton Administration=92s attempts to push =
healthcare=20
reform through Congress. Swan co-wrote a paper =
title=20
=93Harry and Louise and Healthcare Reform: Romancing =
Public=20
Opinion,=94 which analyzed the effect of the Health =
Insurance=20
Association of America=92s =93Harry and Louise=94 ad =
campaign on=20
public opinion toward healthcare reform.
Swan is=20
closely following the Obama Administration=92s =
attempts at=20
healthcare to see if lessons were learned from the =
failed=20
effort in the 1990s. He says that the emerging plan =
may be=20
particularly positive for the country=92s older =
citizens. =20
=93It limits=20
rate dispersion by age, so that the aged would pay no =
more=20
than double what younger enrollees do, which is a real =
improvement over current practices,=94 says =
Swan. =93It also=20
seems unlikely that the new plan would adversely =
affect=20
Medicare.=94
Swan also=20
says that the inclusion of a government run healthcare =
option=20
is a step in the right direction.
=93It looks=20
like Congress=92 plan is going to include a public =
option, which=20
is necessary if any real reform is to occur,=94 says =
Swan.=20
=93However, I am concerned that access to the public =
plan is=20
likely to be very limited=97perhaps available only to =
those=20
without employer-covered insurance. Not only would =
this mean=20
less choice for consumers but also less competitive =
pressure=20
from a public plan that might help keep costs in=20
check.=94
Swan says=20
that access may not be the plan=92s only =
drawback.
=93Unfortunately =
it has high=20
co-pays and deductibles. Worse, it sets plan =
standards=20
at average prevailing employer-sponsored coverage, so =
that=20
employer practices could potentially ratchet down =
minimum=20
coverage standards,=94 says Swan. =93Further, it =
does not=20
supersede state laws, so standards will vary =
nationally and=20
the healthcare industry will have a chance to shape =
them on=20
state levels.=94
=A9 Copyright 2002-2006 by North =
Texas=20
e-News, llc
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