Health workers sound off on reform

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Nearly two dozen medical care professionals told U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Ivy, on Thursday that reform that makes health insurance more accessible and affordable is desperately needed.

“Pretty much every hour of every day I see patients who can’t afford their medication and suffer complications because of that,” said Dr. Mohan Nadkarni, a physician and medical professor at the University of Virginia. “Even if [the bill] is not perfect ... it would be a fiasco and a tragedy if we don’t pass something that increases access and affordability for all.”

Perriello, who voted in favor of the House version of the health care reform bill, said the final version of the measure is expected to come out of conference negotiations soon.

“The hope is to have something done by the State of the Union Address,” Perriello said. “But it’s unclear.”

Inside a packed waiting room at the Downtown Family Health Care in Charlottesville, Perriello listened to feedback on the reform effort in Congress from physicians, nurses, case workers and others from localities in his district ranging from Greene County to Danville. Virginia Change That Works, a nonprofit liberal advocacy group, sponsored the gathering.

Perriello did not say that he was planning to definitely vote yes or no on the bill’s final version. He added that he would support the measure, however, if it achieves several big picture goals, such as: increase competition and accountability of the health insurance industry, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and lower the number of uninsured Americans by making health coverage more affordable.

“We need to end this 20 percent premium increase every year,” Perriello said. “It’s crushing the middle class and small businesses.”

Perriello added that he wants the legislation’s final version to revoke the exemptions from federal anti-trust laws enjoyed by the health insurance and medical malpractice insurance industries. He also wants it to close the so-called “donut hole” of Medicare Part D prescription drug benefits that makes some beneficiaries solely responsible for drug costs until their expenses reach a certain threshold. He further wants the bill to allow the federal government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower prescription Medicare prescription drug prices.

“There’s no single line for me in the sand,” Perriello said. “But I’ve got an overall line - it’s got to move us in the right direction.”

Not present at Thursday’s roundtable discussion were the vocal opponents of health care legislation, who have argued that the measure under consideration in Washington will lead to higher taxes, reduce quality and choice of care and potentially lead to an overall government takeover of the health insurance industry.

Those in attendance at Thursday’s forum were uniformly in favor of reform.

Dr. Bill Fox, a Charlottesville physician, has been a longtime supporter of health reform that increases access to care and prevents insurance companies from dropping coverage.

“We are really, really pleased that the legislation that seems to be on the verge of passing contains these elements,” Fox said.

Brian McNeill is a staff writer for the Daily Progress in Charlottesville.