Providing Health & Hope in Miami County, Ohio since 1998
Political Information
Health Care Reform – what will it mean for free clinics?
With the President’s signing of the new Health Care Reform Policy, I am certain that many of you have questions about the future of health care. While we do not have all the answers, we can provide some basic information for you.
I am attaching a “Fact Sheet” that was produced by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO). HPIO is a nonpartisan center that provides information by forecasting health trends and analyzing key health issues. They provide this information to policymakers, state agencies and others in the health care system. I hope you find the summary they have created helpful.
You may be wondering what the impact of the new legislation will be on Health Partners and other free clinics around the nation. There will not be an immediate effect on us – primarily because most of the increased insurance coverage will not go into effect until 2014. Even with full implementation of the policy there will remain an estimated 23 million people without health care coverage. The number of uninsured today is 41 million Americans.
There are two instances in the bill that could help Health Partners and other free clinics. The first is that there may be some expanded liability coverage available through the federal government. The second is that free clinics may now qualify for some federal dollars that we were previously ineligible for. We are not certain on how soon either of these changes may go into effect.
The need for this clinic and the many others like us will not go away anytime soon. If you should have any questions, do not hesitate to call me at (937) 332-0894.
Karon’s Law
Ohio was the first state in the nation to enact law that allows hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies to donate unused medications to free clinics. Because of this law, Health Partners is now working with Remedi Pharmacy (formerly Healthcare Pharmacy).
Karon’s Law is named for Karon Beltz; an Ohio resident who lost her fight with breast cancer in 1999. Shortly after her death, her husband Gary learned that unopened medications valued at $6,700 could not be returned to the pharmacy, but had to be destroyed.
That’s when Mr. Bletz sought out his local legislator, State Senator Kirk Schuring (R-Ohio 29th). They began work to create the new law that now allows us to participate in the Drug Repository Program.
Health Partners is saving thousands of dollars every month by using medications that would have been destroyed.
Insurance help for those who have lost a job
You may be eligible to apply for a new subsidy, the Mini-COBRA that may reduce the cost of COBRA by 65% for those qualifying. It will also extend benefits from six months to nine months. You can learn more by following this link (Mini-COBRA) or by calling the Ohio Department of Insurance at 1-800-686-1526.
Miami County Commissioners
Our County Commissioners are here to help us. They work hard to provide the wonderful services, business opportunities and amenities we all enjoy in Miami County.
John W. O’Brien
Ron Widner
Jack Evans
State of Ohio Representatives
Dr. Richard (Dick) Adams is the State Representative for Miami County.
Senator Fred Strahorn is the State Senator for Miami County.
In Washington D.C. Senator Sherrod Brown and George Voinovich represent Ohio