FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Iowa And Illinois Advocates Educate Quad City Residents About New Health Care Law Six Months In

Report Shows Positive Effect on Iowa Economy and Job Growth as New Health Law Sends $9.5 Billion to Health Centers

Davenport, Iowa September 22, 2010 -- On Wednesday, September 22nd Illinois and Iowa health care advocates spoke to the media at the Davenport Community Health Center on the eve of the six month anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act being signed into law.

Josephine Underwood, Campaign for Better Health Care: "At the 6 month mark since the health care law passed, what we, the American people will begin to see are the direct impacts to us, our neighbors, our children and families, our small businesses and communities, and the overall economy. Additionally, the insurance provisions that will protect us, the consumers, begin to kick in- no more annual limits, no more lifetime limits, and no more canceling policies when we get sick just so insurance companies can avoid covering our health care needs."

At this news conference, the Iowa Citizen Action Network released a recent report by the Center for American Progress (CAP) that shows state-by-state how investment in community health centers results in economic stimulus and job creation in thousands of communities where they operate. View the report on-line at http://www.iowacan.org/u/commhealth.

"Resources for community health centers provide health and economic benefits to the entire community which we believe is a sound investment," said Tom Bowman, CEO of Community Health Care, Inc. "We provide high quality, affordable, comprehensive medical and dental care to people who may not otherwise be able to access that care. These preventative and comprehensive services save the healthcare system billions of dollars annually, and help patients live healthier, more productive lives in our community."

According the new CAP report, $53.7 billion in economic activity will result in 2015 from ripple effects of this investment in community health centers, with $33 billion stemming directly from the ACA. In Iowa, residents can expect $357,974,622 in total economic activity from this community health center investment, with $222,574,049 of that amount directly attributable to the ACA.

The report also shows that in 2015, community health centers will result in 5,332 new jobs related to the delivery of care to Iowans, including 2,831 new jobs resulting solely from the ACA funding to the centers. Nationwide, the investment in health centers will create more than 457,000 jobs nationally, with 284,000 of them resulting from ACA funding to the centers.

"Investment in community health centers makes sense," said Amy Logdon, Iowa Citizen Action Network. "We worked hard to help pass the new health care law. We look forward to witnessing the direct positive impact on the health and well-being of our neighbors and the positive indirect effects-more jobs, more revenue for local businesses, a healthier workforce, and more stability in our communities."

President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act in to law March 23, exactly six months ago tomorrow. The new law will be implemented gradually over the next four years. In addition to expanding funding for Community Health Centers, the new health care law includes many pro-consumer reforms. As of tomorrow, the law:

• Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Young adults can stay on a parent's plan until they turn 26. If you want to put an adult child on your plan, you'll be given an opportunity to do so during a special enrollment period. (This doesn't apply to young adults who already have health insurance through a job.)
• Prohibits Excluding Coverage for Children With Pre-existing Conditions: Insurance plans can no longer refuse to cover children younger than 19 because they were born with or develop a serious medical condition. (A similar ban on coverage exclusions for adults goes into effect in 2014.)
• Provides Free Preventive Care: All new plans must cover certain preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies without charging a deductible, co-pay or coinsurance.
• Bans Insurance Companies from Dropping our Coverage When We Get Sick: In the past, insurance companies could search for an error, or other technical mistake, on a consumer's application and use this error to deny payment for services when he or she got sick. The new law makes this illegal.
• Empowers Consumers to Appeal Insurance Company Denials: The law provides consumers with a way to appeal coverage determinations or claims to their insurance company, and establishes an external review process.
• Eliminates Lifetime Limits on Insurance Coverage: Under the new law, insurance companies will be prohibited from imposing lifetime dollar limits on essential benefits, like hospital stays which, begins putting and end to medical bankruptcies in America.

"We want people in the Quad Cities to begin to benefit from the new law as quickly as possible, and we hope that explaining some of those benefits today will help make that happen."
Karen Metcalf, Facilitator, Health Care Reform Forum, Progressive Action for the Common Good

PACG and the Campaign for Better Health Care are holding the second in a series of Community Leaders Educational at 3:00 pm Today at United Neighbors in Davenport. This event is part of a national effort to broaden awareness of the pro-consumer provisions of the new health care law.

Contact:

Amy Logsdon 319-321-7056
Iowa Citizen Action Network
Josephine Underwood 217-766-1995
Campaign for better Health Care

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