The
following appeared on the July 15, 2001 Editorial Page of the Waterbury Republican. As of September, 2002, many hard working Connecticut taxpayers have no
health insurance, yet over $4 billion state tax dollars are paying for a
selectively distributed State healthcare system for others. The benefactors include State employees,
State elected officials, and those incarcerated in our prison system. If a taxpayer gets sick, he/she could lose
their home due to escalating healthcare costs.
However, when a prisoner gets sick, he/she is entitled to State
sponsored healthcare. When prisoners
have served their term of incarceration, they can return to their home and
suffer no financial penalty.
LAW EXACERBATES HEALTHCARE DISPARITY
By:
Susan Kniep, President, FCTO
The
issue of health care continues to dominate public debate. As Connecticut taxpayers struggle to meet the
high costs of their own healthcare needs, their state taxes continue to
escalate to pay for a selectively distributed, multi billion dollar health care
system for others. The inequity in the distribution of the State's
healthcare system was broadened
recently when our elected State officials adopted Public Act No. 01-30.
Therein, nonprofit organizations, which are under contract to the State
of Connecticut, will be given access to a
rewarding, state facilitated health plan. Employees of nonprofits
are also guaranteed that they "will not be refused entry into the plan by
reason of past or future health care costs or claims experience".
As explained to me by a State official, the intent is to "utilize the
State's position as a major purchaser of health insurance to
produce a favorable outcome for nonprofits". The State is
expected to facilitate the Plan, which will be underwritten by the nonprofits.
Although 500 nonprofits will be eligible to participate, the total number of
employees who will benefit is unknown.
The
obvious question is why equal consideration was not given to Connecticut's uninsured, underinsured or
elderly who have been dropped by their HMOs and are struggling to meet the high
costs of health care and prescription drugs. Although it is
anticipated that this plan is to be underwritten by the nonprofits, it is
reasonable, based on past experience,
to be concerned for costs, which could be borne by the Connecticut taxpayer.
A 1996
Governor's Task Force Report assessed taxpayer funded, State healthcare costs
at $4 billion dollars. According to the State, they cannot provide
a more recent comprehensive cost analysis. Their reason is
"due to the structure of the state budget, healthcare spending as a
program category is extremely difficult to track." This lack
of control provides some insight into why we are the highest taxed state in the
Nation.
Although
current comprehensive State healthcare costs are not attainable from the State,
the following provides a glimpse into recent, specific taxpayer funded
healthcare
expenditures:
State
Employees:
$297 Million
State
Retirees:
$155 Million
Medical
Emergency
Assistance
$206 Million
General
Assistance
Medical
$78 Million
Medicaid
(including federal match)
$2.4 Billion
Prescription
Drug
Assistance
$38 Million
Other
Administered Health
Programs $57
Million
The
irony of the State healthcare issue is that our elected state officials, who
make the laws affecting healthcare distribution for the rest of us, have
guaranteed themselves the best healthcare our tax money can buy. They have also
legislated for themselves a lifetime health benefit. Yet,
many Connecticut workers today are paying for State financed and distributed
healthcare through their taxes, but are unable to access any state health
care program.
Dividing
Connecticut's population into the haves
and have nots of State sponsored and/or financed
healthcare is discriminatory. Our State elected officials have a moral
obligation to establish a "fair" healthcare distribution policy for
all within Connecticut who cannot afford the high
costs associated with health care or prescription drugs.