Cindy Ramer poses for The Courier with a picture of her and her late husband, Jim Ramer, at her home in Denver on Sept. 4, 2009. (RICK TIBBOTT / Courier Staff Photographer)
Cindy Ramer, a certified nursing assistant in Denver, Iowa, “lives a precarious existence for one simple reason: for more than 20 years she has not been able to afford quality health care, “ wrote the Waterloo Courier in a profile on Ramer published earlier this month.
Ramer, who declared bankruptcy due to medical debt from her late husband’s illness, lives in constant fear of getting sick. “I worry about it,” she said. “I hope my health doesn’t get bad.”
Ramer works nights and weekends as a CNA taking care of those whose health requires that they need Ramer’s care. Yet she goes without health insurance herself because her employer has a difficult time finding health insurance that is affordable for both the employees and employer.
Becky Lohrbach, Ramer’s employer’s benefits manager, explained, “It becomes very difficult to be able to meet the participation requirements that the insurance companies have set up to even have a group plan,” she said. Many of the workers at Ramer’s agency either use their spouses insurance or are eligible for Medicaid or Medicare.
It is not that Ramer doesn’t want insurance or is unwilling to pay for it. She simple wants to be able to buy insurance that she can afford and that will cover her medical needs. Until that day arrives, Ramer is dedicated to telling her story and advocating for state and federal reform that works for direct-care workers.
Allison Lee
National Campaign Manager
HCHCW
alee@phinational.org
Cindy Ramer
My name is Cindy and I am a direct-care worker in Iowa. I am uninsured because my employer does not offer comprehensive health insurance and any plan on the private market is way out of reach for me. Due to my late husband’s illness, we had to file medical bankruptcy a few years back and I am still climbing out of that situation.
Health care reform is very close to my heart and I support the current bills before Congress. That is why I get so angry when I see the lies and distortions that those who are opposed to reform are spreading. We need to fight back with truth and passion about why reform is good for all Americans.
For example, I recently received an email from a friend of mine which was a line by line analysis of the House Bill that she found on the internet. Based on the “analysis” she was encouraging me to contact my Representative and tell him to not vote for this “TERRIBLE” bill. This really bothered me because I had recently met my representative, Bruce Braley, who is on the House committee that is working on this bill. I feel he is very sincere about getting a good health care plan in place. I went to his web site which is: www.braley.house.gov and looked at the bill myself and was shocked to find how distorted this so-called “analysis” was. For example my friend’s email suggested we should be against this bill because:
- On page 30 section 123 it says there will be a government committee that decides what treatments/benefits you get. First of all, it is a council that makes recommendations about the minimum standard of benefits that insurance companies must offer. I hope that this council exists! This is a huge undertaking and we need a ccouncil to make sure it is done right. Right now the insurance companies, decide what treatments and benefits most people get – based on their bottom line benefit. That surely isn’t fair.
- On page 59 it says that the government will have direct access to our bank accounts for electronic funds transfer. This is really about electronic payments between insurance companies and providers. Not about individual citizens. The government will not have access to our individual accounts.
And the list went on and on…Nowhere did it mention all the good that this bill does like:
- Make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans like myself through a public insurance plan and subsidies for those who need it.
- Prohibit insurance companies from denying anyone coverage because they have a pre-existing condition.
- Regulate premiums and other health care costs so they can only be a low percentage of your income
I emailed my friend back that she should take a look at the bill herself by visiting Congressman Braley’s website instead of taking somebody else’s interpretation. We need to fight back with the truth and make sure this time America wins health care reform that will really make a difference. I encourage you to arm yourself with the facts and be ready to counter-attack the lies and opposition.
You can find more information by visiting here:
Health Insurance Reform Reality Check
AARP Myths vs. Facts
If you receive a similar email to the one my friend sent me, use this document (pdf) to check the facts and reply.
Let’s do what we can to make health care reform a reality now. We can’t wait!
Cindy Ramer
Certified Nursing Assistant
Iowa
Representative Lisa Heddens
Last month, HCHCW and the Iowa CareGivers Association, HCHCW”s partner in Iowa, collaborated on the launch of the first Come Care with Me Day in the state. Modeled after the Pennsylvania HCHCW program, Iowa State Representative Lisa Heddens visited the Madrid Home, a skilled nursing facility, where she spent a few hours walking in the shoes of several direct-care workers. Continue reading ‘Iowa Launches the Come Care with Me Program’
“It is a simple fact. Access to coverage does not equal access to care,” wrote John Hale, Policy Director for the Iowa CareGivers Association, an HCHCW partner, in a Des Moines Register guest editorial about national health reform. “Not unless legislation also addresses an emerging crisis: a worker shortage in many parts of the health and long-term care work force.”
The shortage is particularly critical in the long-term care sector where 1 million direct-care workers nationawide are needed over the next decade.
In his editorial, Hale applauds Iowa for leading the nation in establishing comprehensive solutions to addressing the shortages. A newly created Health and Long-Term Care Advisory Council has been tasked with documenting and addressing both the existing and emerging shortages.
“Iowa is doing it right but it can’t do it alone,” wrote Hale. “Federal action is needed.”
Hale provided a “to do” list for the federal government that included:
- Thoroughly documenting the extent of the problem. In the case of direct-care workers, state data on the workforce is either in complete or non-existent
- Focus on expanding capacity to train more medical professionals, providing scholarships and loan-repayment, mentoring programs and career ladders
- Enhance Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates to allow physicians, nurses and direct-care workers to be compensated appropriately
“The most important thing for the federal government to do is give this looming crisis the sense of urgency it deserves and provide funds to the states to allow them to act,” said Hale.
“The health-care-reform bills being considered in Congress are an opportunity to deal proactively with the health- and long-term-care work force that each of us depends on. It’s an opportunity that Congress and the president should seize.”
Allison Lee
National Campaign Manager
HCHCW
alee@phinational.org
This year the Iowa CareGivers Association (ICA) helped lead a coalition of advocates for expansion of adult coverage as well as the funding of a premium assistance demonstration project for direct-care workers. While the priority of the legislature for this year was expanding coverage for children, we were able to get specific language included in the health reform bill (SF 389) that new coverage options for adults would be available for purchase by July 1, 2010. Affordable, quality coverage for adults will enable many direct-care workers in Iowa to have health insurance which they currently cannot afford.
Continue reading ‘Health Coverage for DCW in Iowa’
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