Enzi Bill Would Eliminate Crucial Health Protections!

[Guest guest]

" Bobie Johnson " <bj0114

Mon, 8 May 2006 20:05:47 -0700 (PDT)

Urgent Read! Enzi Bill Would Eliminate Crucial Health

Protections!

May 8, 2006

 

 

For Immediate Release

Contact: Dave Lemmon, Director of Communications

Geraldine Henrich-Koenis, Press Secretary

202-628-3030

 

Enzi Bill Would Eliminate Crucial State Health Protections for 85

Million People

 

The Bill Would Cause a Loss of Coverage for Cervical, Prostate, and

Colorectal Cancer Screening, as well as Mammograms, Mental Health

Care, and Well-Child Care

 

Washington, D.C. – The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and

Affordability Act (HIMMA), introduced by Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY)

and scheduled for a vote by the Senate this week, would harm 85

million people who currently have health coverage. That is the

conclusion of a report released today by the national consumer health

organization Families USA.

 

The Enzi bill would preempt state regulations that currently protect

insured people so that they receive adequate coverage. According to

the Families USA report, key medical treatment protections that would

be lost in at least 20 states include: cervical, colorectal, and

prostate cancer screenings; mammograms; mental health care; well-child

care; emergency services; alcoholism treatment; dental anesthesia;

diabetic supplies and education; drug abuse treatment; metabolic

disorders; and home health care.

 

The Families USA report also concludes that the Enzi bill would result

in higher, discriminatory health insurance premiums for people with

health problems and disabilities because it would override state laws

that protect people from significant premium differences based on

health status, age, gender, and other factors.

 

" The Enzi bill is one of the most harmful anti-consumer health bills

in recent memory, " said Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families

USA. " This bill leaves millions of people at the mercy of health

insurance companies by eliminating a range of state laws that protect

the consumer and regulate insurance company behavior. "

 

The Families USA report also shows that the Enzi bill would increase

the cost of insurance for small businesses with older and sicker

workers when they first buy insurance. If the Enzi bill passes,

insurers will be allowed to charge small businesses as much as 67

percent more for premiums if some of their workers are in

less-than-perfect health.

 

Copies of the report can be found on the Families USA Web site: The

Enzi Bill: Bad Medicine for America

http://www.familiesusa.org/assets/pdfs/enzi-bill/Enzi-Bill-Effect-on-States.pdf

 

 

Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers.

It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality,

affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005

202-628-3030 · E-mail: info ·

http://www.familiesusa.org