| Copyright: | Unknown | | Source: | Hartford Courant (CT) | | Wordcount: | |
Nov. 9--BRISTOL -- As federal lawmakers struggle to design an overhaul of the health insurance system, Bristol Hospital President Kurt Barwis wants to be sure they don't shortchange hospitals and physicians.
Barwis had an opportunity Friday to pitch his case in person to one of the power players in the Senate's health care debate: Democratic Sen. Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut.
"We need to do health care reform absolutely, but we have to be sure we don't take away from patient care," Barwis said after meeting with Dodd. "We need to be sure the people on the front lines have the resources to deliver quality care."
Dodd talked with Barwis, senior medical staff and hospital board members about the finances of medicine following an afternoon tour of Bristol Hospital.
Barwis told him that Bristol Hospital supports ending anti-trust exemptions for insurance companies and also endorses a proposal to pay extra reimbursements to hospitals serving a large percentage of Medicare patients.
During the visit, Dodd told nurses, aides and other staff members that he's visited about half of Connecticut's 31 hospitals to learn more about how federal legislation could affect day-to-day medical care.
"One thing I've learned is that the best ideas on cost reductions come from the local level," Dodd said. "What we shouldn't do is decide that what works in Bristol or Manchester or Putnam can work in Des Moines."
Dodd acknowledged that the Obama administration and the Democratic Congress face conflicting pressures on how to handle the incredibly divisive issue of health care reform. Forcing through a bill too hastily runs the risk of flawed legislation, but waiting too long will kill the initiative altogether, he said.
"We need to take our time to do this right -- if there are unintended consequences [to speedy legislation], you can end up making a lot of mistakes in the process," he said.
Gardner Wright, a former state health care commissioner, asked whether Congress would try health care reform again next year if it can't pass a bill in this term.
"No, I really don't think so," Dodd replied. After mid-2010, politics will make it more unlikely that the Obama administration can get health care reform through, Dodd said.
Dodd said he's committed to reaching an agreement before then.
Nearly two-thirds of personal bankruptcies are connected to health care costs -- even though most of those people have insurance. Their coverage is too weak, though, and their finances are crippled by large deductibles or the costs when insurers refuse to pay.
Dodd acknowledged that many Americans don't want Congress changing the insurance they now have.
"But I also suspect a high percentage of those people have never had to use it," Dodd said. They don't learn about coverage gaps until they get a hefty bill after surgery or a hospital stay, he said.
State Rep. Frank Nicastro of Bristol agreed, saying that he's heard from Bristol residents who even had pre-approvals from their insurers before undergoing surgery -- and then were denied reimbursement.
"That's not right," Nicastro said. "We have to do something about that."
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