Health Care Exchange Information Event
 |
| Guest speaker: Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts |
Saturday
morning, April 13, from 10 am to noon,
at
the Cross Mills Public Library on Old Post Road in Charlestown
Health Insurance is the entry point into the massive
medical care establishment in this country.
Without health insurance, routine
medical care is almost unavailable to most, and the emergency room portal
becomes overused and expensive.
Without insurance, intensive medical
intervention to preserve life is beyond the reach of all but the most affluent among
us. Even seemingly straight forward hospital care would bankrupt most
families, were it not for insurance.
Many studies have shown that lack of health insurance among the lowest income class contributes to poor health outcomes and higher mortality rates. Ultimately poor prevention and lack of routine medical access contributes to higher costs for the system as a whole, and this translates into higher health insurance premiums for those of us fortunate enough to have insurance.
The Affordable Care Act, signed into law in March
of 2010 is intended to extend Health Care Insurance to most people who may not
now be covered, and who would not otherwise be able to afford health insurance.
It is intended to put individuals, families and small business owners in
control of their health care. It is also aimed at reducing overall health care
costs over time and improving outcomes. How does it do this? How will it work?
The HealthCare.gov website states that Americans who do
not now have health insurance will be able to choose coverage in a new open,
competitive insurance market called an Insurance Exchange or Health Care
Exchange. Each state must decide how to set up these exchanges, which must
begin to offer insurance options by the start of 2014. In the State of Rhode
Island, Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth
Roberts has been given the responsibility of bringing the Health Care
Exchanges into existence.
- How is the process of setting up exchanges proceeding?
- What form will the Health Care Exchanges take in Rhode Island?
- How will part time workers, a too large and too vulnerable class of workers in our sluggish economy, be covered?
- What will be the cost?
- What help will there be for those who still will find it too difficult to afford to buy insurance through an exchange?
- Will Medicaid be expanded to cover the very lowest income members of our communities and how will that come about?
Refreshments will be served and important information will be shared by all. We
hope to see you there.
