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National Healthcare Reform a Reality as of Thursday, September 23rd,
As Patients’ Bill of Rights Gets Implemented in the
V.I.
Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. told federal and local healthcare experts Wednesday that the historic healthcare reform legislation out of Washington, D.C. will enable the Virgin Islands to make significant inroads in tackling some of the Territory’s most serious public health challenges, including access and affordability.
The governor addressed healthcare experts at the Territory’s Third Annual Medicare Symposium on the day before the first provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act go into effect. The historic legislation—the first significant healthcare reform in decades—sets in motion a process to reform a flawed system and expand medical coverage to millions of uninsured Americans.
On Thursday, a significant milestone will be reached as an important new “Patients’ Bill of Rights” will go into effect throughout the United States, including the Virgin Islands and other territories. These new consumer protections will at long-last end some of the worst insurance abuses and will put consumers in control of their healthcare.
From now on, insurance companies may not deny child coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to drop coverage due to illness, and there cannot be lifetime limits on coverage. All new insurance plans must now include free preventive care for services like mammograms, immunizations, and prenatal care, and insurance companies no longer have the right to choose a doctor for a patient seeking care.
Additionally, emergency room visits outside of a plan’s network are now allowed without an extra charge, and if an insurance company denies coverage or restricts treatment, an appeal of that decision can be made to an independent third party. Starting this week, young adults without insurance, whether just out of college or between jobs, can now stay on their parents’ plan until age 26.
While the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will more significantly impact Medicaid programs that have historically been underutilized in the Virgin Islands, there are important consequences for Medicare beneficiaries, as well. The legislation closes the donut hole in the Part D prescription drug program by implementing a one-time rebate for seniors whose medication needs land them in a no-coverage gap. It has provisions to increase seniors' access to doctors, and will remove barriers to preventive medical services like cancer screenings. The legislation also reaffirms that Medicare benefits will never be reduced; savings from the program will extend the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund.
Since 2007, the Medicare symposium has been convened each year by the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, in partnership with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to share information about benefits and policies, and to facilitate networking between local and federal healthcare professionals serving the program’s beneficiaries in the Virgin Islands.
During the opening session of the conference, Governor de Jongh discussed the Territory’s healthcare challenges and disparities, including disproportionately high rates of diabetes, heart disease and AIDS compared to the rest of the country. Still more troubling, he said, is the insufficient level of prenatal care for poorer citizens, and the high numbers of undernourished children in the Virgin Islands.
“Detrimental, healthcare neglect comes with the long-term effects from insufficient pre-natal, child health, and preventative care, as well as from individuals not having access to doctors and healthcare providers due to being locked out of or limited by inadequate healthcare coverage. With health reform, all of that changes, and as we continue making headway with overall care for Virgin Islands residents, we open up new avenues of access by modernizing our health information technology system; expanding our healthcare workforce; educating the public on services available, and rebalancing our economy. This historic, sweeping healthcare reform will have the effect of restoring dignity to thousands of Virgin Islanders and will provide a level of parity with the mainland United States that is overdue and greatly needed,” de Jongh said.
On Tuesday, the governor signed new rules and regulations for healthcare reform in the Territory, enabling the government to move forward in implementing provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that will help increase medical access and affordability for all Virgin Islanders.
The governor told the assembled Medicare partners, providers and stakeholders that they, along with government officials, share a responsibility to the thousands of Virgin Islands seniors who depend on Medicare. “My Administration, through the departments of Health and Human Services, is determined to continue to work hand-in-hand with the Territory’s hospitals, health centers, medical clinics, non-profit community based organizations and private medical providers to find the most effective ways to invest public funds in the health and well-being of this community. Changes will be made,” de Jongh said.
Attending this week’s symposium are a variety of medical professionals, federal and local healthcare officials, and regional Medicare administrators.
Lt. Governor Gregory Francis, who in his capacity as the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance is also Chairman of the Healthcare Reform Implementation Task Force and Barbara Lee-Jackson, recently named the Territory’s Coordinator of Healthcare Reform Implementation, also spoke Wednesday at the symposium. The 14-member Task Force, comprised of government officials and medical experts appointed by the governor and charged with implementing provisions of the Affordable Care Act in the Territory recently had its fourth meeting on Tuesday, September 21.
In remarks she gave Wednesday at the symposium, Lee-Jackson summed up the historic time in the nation in four simple words: “Healthcare reform is here.” |
