4 A
❘
WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ JUNE 21, 2017
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
‘New normal’ not productive for healthcare reform
Should Americans care that
a select group of Senators,
behind closed doors, is gear-
ing up a complex override of
the current Affordable Care
Act (ACA)?
GOP leadership plans a
Senate vote before a July 4
recess while withholding col-
leagues and public from
access to the draft’s details.
The “reform” will be intro-
duced directly to the Senate
floor without prior benefit of
any committee hearings or
witnesses. Once on the Senate
floor, amendment proposals
can have up to one minute
each.
In 2010, it’s been said that
Obamacare
was
forced
through the Senate on an up-
down vote with no chance to
read it, let alone amend it.
However, facts show multiple
Senate committees, over a
year, held three months of
open
public
hearings.
Republicans directly obtained
more than 160 amendments.
Media had great access as
committees revamped witness
ideas or critiques.
This is not the current case
with the “closed door” pro-
posal for the re-vamped ACA.
For example, the needed
nonpartisan Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) analysis
of financial impacts is miss-
ing.
A CBO analysis in May of
the earlier House repeal pack-
age was critical in giving
pause to — and then stopping
— Senate consideration and
ratification. Analysis project-
ed 23 million Americans los-
ing coverage by 2026.
House
Speaker
Ryan
described the CBO evaluation
as “great,” but GOP governors
were a primary force prevent-
ing Senate ratification of
Ryan’s bill.
One CBO provision stated:
“People who are less healthy
(including those with pre-
existing or newly acquired
medical conditions) would
ultimately be unable to pur-
chase comprehensive non-
GUEST VIEWPOINT
B Y R AND D AWSON
R ETIRED CONSUMER AND INURANCE COMPANY ATTORNEY
group health insurance at pre-
miums comparable to those
under current law, if they
could purchase it at all.”
Trudy Lieberman, Health
Desk editor with the
Columbia Journalism Review,
voiced similar concerns, pre-
dicting “more than $800 bil-
lion in Medicaid cuts and loss
of coverage for millions
reached under Medicaid
expansion; selective premium
increases, particularly for
poorer, older Americans.”
House staffers from the
Joint Committee on Taxation
itself joined with CBO, pro-
ducing a joint May report,
supporting the figures.
Even the conservative
National Review noted the
predicament, which contrast-
ed President Trump’s promis-
es to “take care of every-
body,” and “make no cuts to
Social Security, Medicare and
Medicaid.”
Beyond cutting financing
for Medicaid or Medicare,
proposals will offer states sig-
nificant ways to change pre-
mium pricing or underwriting.
That means older pre-
Medicare-age customers may
be charged five times more
than younger customers. In
2026, the CBO estimated that
some 64-year-olds, making
$27,000, could possibly pay
$14,400 more in premiums.
This June 13, Chief Actuary
for the Centers for Medicare
and
Medicaid
Services
released its report, “Estimated
Financial Effect of the
American Health Care Act
(AHCA) of 2017.”
In response, law professor
and healthcare writer Timothy
Jost described premium
impacts for those insured
through the Exchanges this
way:
“The Actuary’s report esti-
mates that the AHCA would
reduce gross premiums in the
individual market by 13 per-
cent below current law esti-
mates by 2026, but net premi-
ums after reduced premium
tax credits would increase by
5 percent — and cost sharing
would increase by 61 per-
cent.”
“Cost sharing” includes
deductibles, co-insurance, co-
payments and out-of-pocket
limits.
These are significant
details.
As Maine Republican Sen.
Susan Collins said, “Details
really matter when you’re
talking about healthcare
reform.”
Reviews of the last seen
version of the AHCA suggest-
ed coverages could shrink if
states opt to “waive” various
complex rules concerning
essential benefits or pre-exist-
ing conditions.
What significant details
will be overlooked or missed
in this case?
Medicare Trust Fund life
being shortened? Long-term
care support for seniors cur-
tailed? Will short breaks in
coverage allow 30 percent
premium hikes or elimination
from Medicaid benefits?
An open discussion on real
underlying issues looks to rein
in healthcare costs and
improve value and efficiency.
Do we want real details
coming through open doors
— or more slogans and politi-
cal opioids?
Rand Dawson is local
Siltcoos resident and a retired
Alaska trial attorney with
interest in health care reform,
who also represented
consumers and various
insurance companies
LETTERS
H ELPING H ANDS HELPS MORE
THAN HOMELESS
I would like to clarify a few things about
Helping Hands Coalition. I have been a vol-
unteer for more than 15 months and presently
cook on Wednesdays.
Florence Planning Commissioner Titmus
states that handouts are discouraged for the
homeless and he is correct in that they need
other services. However, the homeless are a
small percentage of our clients. We do get
“travelers,” folks that are passing through and
stop for one or maybe two meals before mov-
ing on, mostly in the summer months.
But mostly we see men and women devel-
opmentally disabled, suffering from chronic
illnesses that prevent them from working;
young people earning minimum wage as well
as seniors struggling financially; and food
stamp recipients, especially towards the end
of the month.
We also see families with young children
who are new in town and trying to get on their
feet.
Many clients are regulars whom we get to
know well and some come in just for compa-
ny and someone to talk to.
All of the volunteers are very aware that we
have to be super good neighbors and work
hard to ensure we keep our surroundings
clean and well maintained.
As to parking, there are rarely more than
two or three volunteers’ cars and few if any
clients’ cars.
Please give us the chance to keep helping
those who depend on us.
— Liz Earnshaw
Florence
L ETTERS TO THE
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USPS# 497-660
B ROWN NEEDS TO STEP UP
FOR ENVIRONMENT
People tell me that Gov. Kate Brown is an
environmentalist, but I don’t see it. Seems
like when it comes to timber and other extrac-
tive interests, she just rolls over.
While Gov. Brown touts she’s “committed”
to the Paris Agreement goals, it seems she
can’t say “No” to the Pacific Connector Gas
Pipeline in Southern Oregon, or the Jordan
Cove LNG terminal in Coos Bay.
We almost lost the Elliott State Forest
because of her dithering last year. Then, new
Secretary of State Richardson joined the State
Land Board, almost putting the kibosh on the
whole thing — with new Treasurer Tobias
Read also in favor of selling.
Thankfully, better heads prevailed.
Gov. Brown has shown no interest in push-
ing for a strong Cap and Reinvest bill to limit
the big air polluters in Oregon. Her much bal-
lyhooed “Coal to Clean” bill won’t do much
until 2030.
Oregon Group Publisher (541) 265 8571
Publisher, ext. 318
Editor, ext. 313
Consulting Editor (831) 761-7353
Email: echalhoub@register-pajaronian.com
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WHERE TO WRITE
Susan Gutierrez
Cathy Dietz
Ron Annis
Jeremy Gentry
— Robin Bloomgarden
Eugene
T RUMP ’ S TRICKLE DOWN PLAN
WON ’ T TRICKLE FAR ENOUGH
Guthrie Wilson’s letter to the editor (June
6) defended the president and suggests we let
him do his job. I’m afraid if we let him do the
job the way he wants, he will destroy freedom
of the press and erode our civil rights. I dis-
agree with most of President Trump’s ideas
for what he believes will make America
“great again.” I’m not even sure what that
means because, in my opinion, America has
always been great.
The rules and regulations that President
Trump is in the process of rolling back are
rules and regulations that keep Americans
safe from drinking poisoned water and
breathing noxious air. The repeal of these
regulations will allow corporations to ruin
our land, air and water, while saving corpora-
tions billions of dollars.
Little, if any, of the savings he’s predicting
will trickle down to the average American.
Comparitively few new jobs will be created
in the coal industry since many jobs are going
to automation.
No sick leave, workers’ comp claims, etc.
And with the repeal and replacement of the
ACA, many of us will lose Medicaid and
Medicare will be privatized. As a result,
many won’t be able to afford the services and
prescriptions they need — quite possibly to
cover symptoms from the poisoning caused
by corporate polluters.
In all sincerety, I doubt very much that
Trump is a genius. If he were, he would know
what he doesn’t know. Instead of filling his
cabinet with corporate billionaire buddies and
hard right science deniers blind to global
warming, he would have filled his cabinet
with people knowledgeable about the posi-
tion they were heading — and know the pol-
itics of how to get things done within the
framework of the Constitution.
Personally, I don’t want my government
run like his family business; I want it run like
a real government instead of a graft-filled
banana republic.
Contrary to popular belief, much of
President Trump’s campaign was funded by
Super Pacs backed by billionaire friends.
There were lots of special interests funding
him.
He did not “self-fund.”
Granted, I watch a lot of CNN and ABC
nightly news. I also tune in to MSNBC (very
left leaning) and FOX (very right leaning).
But if you only watch one of these stations
exclusively, you are getting a very one-sided
story indeed.
— Marybeth Marenco
Florence
The First Amendment
C
ongress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press, or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for a redress
of grievances.
Copyright 2017 © Siuslaw News
Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National
Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore.
Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax
541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com.
James Rand
Jenna Bartlett
Ned Hickson
Erik Chalhoub
The toxic aerial spraying of pesticides
across timberlands and citizens doesn’t
appear to bother her, either.
I read the papers daily. I never see anything
directly from Gov. Brown to her Oregon con-
stituents
What exactly does she stand for? When
will Oregonians find out? Will Oregon ever
begin comprehensive climate change work?
Or most importantly, will she step up to
make it happen?
Pres. Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD Comments:
202-456-6213
www.whitehouse.gov
Gov. Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
Governor’s Citizens’ Rep.
Message Line 503-378-4582
www.oregon.gov/gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
541-431-0229
www.wyden.senate.gov
FAX: 503-986-1080
Email:
Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997
541-465-6750
www.merkley.senate.gov
State Rep. Caddy McKeown
( Dist. 9 )
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email:
rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio ( 4 th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416
541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
State Sen. Arnie Roblan ( Dist. 5 )
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
West Lane County Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email:
Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us