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Health Care
Please scroll down to read the New Health Care Reform Bill
Health Care in the 28th District of Texas
The 28th District of Texas faces unique health care challenges. The district has a large number of residents who live in medically underserved minority and rural communities. Our communities also have a large number of children and parents who are either uninsured or underinsured. In fact, 24.8% of all Texans do not have health coverage today, including 1.5 million uninsured children in the state.
I am committed to meeting those challenges as your Congressman. While in the Texas Legislature, I was the coauthor of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that has expanded coverage to hundreds of thousands of Texas children.
In the 111th Congress, I have been working to support America's health care system through legislation and federal grant opportunities. I am a strong supporter of our community health clinics and those medical centers which play a vital role in delivering health care, primary care and preventative care to our region. A vibrant and healthy border is in the best interest of our nation, our neighbors, and the people who call the Texas border region "home".
There are several unique and significant health concerns to people in our region, such as diabetes, obesity, tuberculosis, and cancer. I'm working to address and raise awareness for these prevalent health concerns in our region. I'm working on a WIC (Nutrition for Women, Infants and Children) pilot program to include glucose screening as part of the program. Glucose screening is a critical first step in detecting juvenile and adult diabetes.
As you know, thousands of elderly Texans rely on Medicare to safeguard their physical health during their retirement years. I am committed to strengthening Medicare for our seniors. We owe our parents and grandparents the health care they need, and I will continue to work to make sure that the federal government honors that obligation.
When talking about health care we have to ensure our health workforce is strong. I am currently working with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to increase the number of Hispanic students in the medical profession in South Texas. In our region there are approximately 113 doctors per 100,000 people. The national average is 266 physicians per 100,000 people. The shortage of physicians along the border adversely affects access to health care and public health. The health needs of the border, especially in these areas, are acute and must be addressed.
I am always looking for ideas to improve the quality of health care along the border region. I want to hear your input, and I want you to know that you can use my office as a resource to help improve health care in the district.
Please call (202) 225-1640 or toll-free 1-(877)-780-0028 if you have any questions.
Read the New House Version of Health Care Reform:
"Affordable Health Care for America Act" H.R. 3962
(As of 10-29-2009)
On October 29, 2009 the House introduced a new health care reform plan known as the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" a bill which is an updated plan for health reform and is aimed at providing affordable health care coverage and access to care for all Americans. It is a health care reform plan to lower costs for people who have coverage and help provide access to coverage for people who don't.
To read the new bill online, visit: http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf
When the the original bill was introduced in July, Congressman Cuellar advocated for letting Americans have the time and opportunity to read and evaluate the plan. This fall, he strongly supported a new 72 hour voting measure for this bill, so Americans could read the bill online 72 hours before any vote occurs.
To read a comprehensive summary of the bill, visit: http://majorityleader.gov/docUploads/R5/DETAILEDSUMMARY.pdf
The bill introduced this Summer is known as H.R. 3200 the "America's Affordable Health Choices Act" and this bill varies in many ways from the new bill known as H.R. 3962 introduced this October. Compared to the first bill, the new H.R. 3962 costs $400 billion less than H.R. 3200 which was originally estimated to cost $1.3 trillion. This new figure meets President Obama and Congressman Cuellar's commitment to reduce the net cost of health care reform to less than $900 billion.
To read more about about the changes, visit: http://majorityleader.gov/docUploads/TOPLINE_FINAL.pdf
If H.R. 3962 passes the House, the Senate and is signed into law by the President, there are many provisions which would take effect immediately to improve your health care situation. Most provisions of the bill will take effect in 2013. For Seniors, insured Americans, uninsured Americans, Veterans, children and health care providers, there are major provisions which would immediately take effect to make sure Americans have access to coverage and be able to keep their coverage in these difficult economic times.
To read about the changes which would take effect immediately, visit: http://majorityleader.gov/docUploads/Top14FINAL.pdf
Health Care Reform is intended to help Americans afford health care coverage. Currently, 1 of 3 Americans in the 28th Congressional District of Texas does not have coverage and this bill would help the uninsured and insured purchase health insurance through a National Health Insurance Exchange, which means they would be able to shop among multiple private insurers outside of their employer's insurance provider. In some states, there are only one or two insurance providers available.
To learn more about the National Health Insurance Exchange, visit: http://majorityleader.gov/docUploads/R4/EXCHANGE.pdf
The Public Health Insurance Option would also be a part of this National Health Insurance Exchange. This public health care plan would help create competition within the health care system. Like private plans, premiums for the public health insurance option will be established for the local market area, and it will be administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. This Health Insurance Option, will give Americans a choice to choose between a public or private plan and in many ways ensures Americans an affordable plan to get quality health care.
To learn more about the Public Health Insurance Option, visit: http://majorityleader.gov/docUploads/R3/PUBLICOPTION.pdf
To understand how health care reform would unfold in the near future, please visit this timeline: http://majorityleader.gov/docUploads/IMPLEMENTATIONTIMELINE_FINAL.pdf
To learn more information about the new House version of health care reform, visit the Health Care Clearinghouse : http://www.majorityleader.gov/members/health_care.cfm
Updates
9-09-2009 President Obama delivers health care address to Congress:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-a-Joint-Session-of-Congress-on-Health-Care/
9-16-2009 Senate Finance Committee releases health care plan:
http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2009press/prb091609d.pdf
10-12-2009 Cuellar Supports 72 Hour Measure for Final Health Care Reform Bill:
http://www.cuellar.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=148864
10-13-2009 Senate Finance Committee Votes to Approve Baucus Bill:
http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2009press/prb101309b.pdf
10-29-2009 House Introduces NEW Health Care Reform Bill:
http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf
11-04-09 Rules Committee Introduces Manager's Amendment:
http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_hr3962_dingell.pdf
Benefits of "Affordable Health Care for America Act"
In the 28th Congressional District of Texas
Provided by the Committee on Energy and Commerce
The Affordable Health Care for America Act could provide significant benefits to the 28th Congressional District of Texas: up to 12,600 small businesses could receive tax credits to provide coverage to their employees; 5,800 seniors would avoid the donut hole in Medicare Part D; 600 families could escape bankruptcy each year due to unaffordable health care costs; health care providers would receive payment for $47 million in uncompensated care each year; and 209,000 uninsured individuals could gain access to high-quality, affordable health insurance.
Help for small businesses. Under the legislation, businesses with up to 100 employees will be able to join the health insurance exchange, benefitting from group rates and a greater choice of insurers. There are 14,200 small businesses in the district that will be able to join the health insurance exchange.
Help for seniors with drug costs in the Part D donut hole. Each year, 5,800 seniors in the district hit the donut hole and are forced to pay their full drug costs, despite having Part D drug coverage. The legislation would provide them with immediate relief, cutting brand name drug costs in the donut hole by 50%, and ultimately eliminate the donut hole by 2019.
Strengthening Medicare: There are 94,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the district. The health care reform legislation improves Medicare by providing free preventive and wellness care, improving primary and coordinated care, improving nursing home quality and strengthening the Medicare Trust Fund.
Health care and financial security. There were 600 health care-related bankruptcies in the district in 2008, caused primarily by the health care costs not covered by insurance. The bill provides health insurance for almost every American and caps annual out-of-pocket costs at $5,000 for single individuals and $10,000 per year for couples, ensuring that no citizen will have to face financial ruin because of high health care costs.
Relieving the burden of uncompensated care for hospitals and health care providers. In 2008, health care providers in the district provided $47 million worth of uncompensated care, care that was provided to individuals who lacked insurance coverage and were unable to pay their bills. Under the legislation, these costs of uncompensated care would be virtually eliminated.
Coverage of the uninsured. There are 267,000 uninsured individuals in the district, 34% of the district. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that nationwide, 97% of all Americans will have insurance coverage when the bill takes effect. If this benchmark is reached in the district, 209,000 people who currently do not have health insurance will receive coverage.
This analysis is based upon the following sources: the Gallup-Healthways Survey (data on the uninsured); the U.S. Census (data on small businesses); the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (data on the Part D donut hole, health care-related bankruptcies (based on analysis of PACER court records), and uncompensated care); and the House Committee on Ways and Means (data on the surtax).
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