Health Care

CHICAGO (AP) -- The nation's new health care law turns 6 months old today and starts delivering protections and dollars-and-cents benefits that Americans can grasp. But it won't affect all consumers the same way, which might cause confusion. Will everyone's health insurance change today? No. It depends on when your health insurance plan year starts. Many of the new requirements begin with plan years starting on or after Sept. 23. But if your plan year starts Jan. 1, as many do, that's when the changes start.

Richard Brown does not support the U.S. health care law in its current state. “I want the government to pay for health insurance,” he said. “I think it's unconstitutional for the government to force people to pay for their own insurance.” Brown, 52, was among the Hagerstown residents who offered their opinions Wednesday on whether Congress was within its rights to pass the health care bill signed into law by President Obama in 2010. He said that he would support an individual mandate if the government paid for everybody's health care.

In March of 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the nation's latest attempt to “reform” health care. Yet, despite all the new spending and taxes, and all the new rules and expanded government oversight, PPACA doesn't address most of the problems that afflict American health care. Many of these problems are well-known:  Health care and health insurance costs are high and rising rapidly.  Care providers and insurers seem inhospitable, inflexible and inscrutable.

HAGERSTOWN -- As Congress grapples with health care reform, the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce hosted a discussion and debate of federal and state proposals Wednesday. Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative, explained his group's "Health Care for All!" plan for more affordable coverage in the state. DeMarco said the plan includes: o The state taking over catastrophic coverage o A large pool for buying insurance o Lower co-payments for proven treatment methods.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- One of the best ways to provide health care for all Americans is just "expand Medicare to everybody," according to a speaker at a forum on the subject Tuesday night, Dr. Margaret Flowers, a Maryland pediatrician who left her practice to promote a nationwide single-payer health insurance system, said a national Medicare-like program could reform a system that currently leaves more than 47 million Americans without health insurance....

About $1 out of every $12 spent on health insurance premiums goes to pay for health care provided to the uninsured, according to a new study by a professor at Emory University. For families in West Virginia, that means an extra $1,800 a year, or about 15 percent of the average policy's $11,890 a year cost. West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin is promoting the West Virginia Small Business Plan, designed to help smaller companies provide health insurance for their employees. But a spokesperson for Families USA, which commissioned the study, said what is needed is universal nationwide health care coverage.

Health care changed TARA REILLY tarar@herald-mail.com The Washington County Commissioners' attempt to consolidate health care providers for county, Board of Education and Hagerstown Community College employees fell short, but the commissioners and School Board went ahead Tuesday with provider changes. The County Commissioners voted to switch county health care, dental and prescription drug provider from CIGNA to CareFirst, a move that will save the county about $147,000, according to a consultant hired to study costs.

Doctors aren't the only ones facing increases in their insurance. The Associated Press reports that the Geisinger Health Plan, which covers about 158,000 members in Pennsylvania, has filed for a 20 percent rate increase for 2005. The increase would add $462 a year to the average member's bill and is necessary, Geisinger officials said, because the cost of health care is increasing faster than insurance premiums. The AP quotes the Kaiser Family Foundation as saying that insurance costs have increased by at least 10 percent for the past four years.

Employee of the month at health department David Washington is Washington County Health Department's Employee of the Month for September. Washington has been employed with the Health Department since 2000 and works with the Division of Addictions and Mental Health. As the program coordinator for the Jail Substance Abuse program, he is responsible for clinical supervision and also provides direct clinical services for consumers with substance abuse problems. He also is a trainer and facilitator for the Trauma Addiction Mental Health and Recovery (TAMAR)

Menno Haven CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Denny Hartman, Menno Haven director of Alzheimer's/Dementia, passed the national and state nursing home administrator exams in January. By passing the exams, he obtains a license as a nursing home administrator in Pennsylvania. Hartman has been employed by Menno Haven since February 1999. Fahrney-Keedy Home & Village BOONSBORO - Fahrney-Keedy Home & Village on Jan. 14 recognized more than 50 associates for their service and leadership during 2005.