Regence, the leading health insurer in the Pacific Northwest, announced in December its support for the Obama administration and Congress’ move toward meaningful, patient-centered health reforms. Kicking off its effort, Regence released the findings of a national public opinion survey of 1,002 adults, helping bring the voice of the consumer into the emerging national discussion of health reform. The new survey showed that, by a larger than two-to-one margin, Americans believe given the economic challenges the nation faces, it is more important than ever to take on health care reform as opposed to delaying tackling the issue.
“Regence is committed to working with policymakers and stakeholders for national reform of the broken health care system,” said Mark Ganz, Regence president and CEO. “Economic turmoil has turned to personal turmoil, as many Americans who have lost their jobs have also lost their health insurance. We must come together as a nation to ensure that Americans have quality, affordable health care throughout their lives.”
Because thousands of people have lost their employer-provided insurance, Regence said among its key concerns is improving the way individuals purchase health insurance — that is, find and buy insurance policies on their own rather than get coverage through work. Regence’s survey revealed that 34 percent of Americans have experience with the individual market and 65 percent had difficulty finding insurance they could afford. Moreover, 20 percent have been turned down due to their health or the health of a family member.
Regence has proposed ideas to help alleviate these hardships, and the survey showed majorities support these ideas, which would require congressional approval to work. Americans are especially enthusiastic about eliminating medical underwriting, setting a minimum basic standard for benefits, and creating a public-private partnership to ensure coverage for those with extraordinary medical needs.
Some of Regence’s ideas for reform are:
One national reform policy with the involvement of the federal, state and local governments, health insurance companies and health care providers.
Elimination of medical underwriting to ensure individuals will not be denied coverage or forced to pay excessive premiums because of preexisting conditions or poor health status.
Guaranteed coverage and a standard minimum benefit covering hospital services, doctors’ visits, prescription drugs, necessary medical equipment and preventative care.
Community rating to account for age and geographic rate adjusters.
“The health insurance industry’s growing interest and engagement regarding individual market reform is encouraging,” said Ganz. “These poll results underscore the sense of urgency regarding the individual market, and we believe Congress should place a high priority on this issue in terms of overall health care reform.”
