Committed to Health Care Reform

I want to hear from you about what is working and what needs reformed from your personal experiences with health care. Feel free to send me an email and tell us about your stories and thoughts on health care. Take a look at the list of events I've held on health care in the district here.

Learn more about the House legislation, HR 3962 and HR 3961 introduced on Thursday, Oct 29, 2009 

H.R. 3962  - Affordable Health Care for America Act as Introduced and H.R. 3961 – Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009

Your take

Health care is an issue that many people, in our area and across the country, feel very passionately about. Recently I've had telephone town halls on health issues with tens of thousands of participants, and I hosted a town hall in Syracuse that was attended by more than 400 people. The Syracuse Post-Standard ran an op-ed about the town hall and supports my position on the need for reform. So lets keep the dialogue going- please send an email to my office and share your stories and thoughts on health care.

Myth Vs. Fact

There is a lot of misinformation floating around about the bill. Read the facts at the non-partisan politifact.org here , and some of the myths that are floating around are debunked, line by line, here.

WHY WE URGENTLY NEED TO FIX HEALTH CARE

FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES:

Every day, Americans worry not simply about getting well, but whether they can afford to get
well. Millions more wonder if they can afford routine care to stay well.

Premiums have doubled over the last 9 years, 3x faster than wages.

The average American family already pays an extra $1,100 in premiums every year for a broken
system that supports 46 million uninsured Americans.

FOR AMERICAN BUSINESSES:

Soaring health care costs put American companies at a competitive disadvantage in a global
economy.

Small businesses are forced to choose between coverage and layoffs.

FOR OUR FISCAL FUTURE:

We have the most expensive health care system in the world. We spend almost 50% more per
person on health care than the next most costly nation. But we’re no healthier for it.

If we do nothing, in a decade, we’ll be spending $1 of every $5 on health care. In 30 years, it will
be $1 of every $3. Health care reform is curbing health care costs, the single best tool for deficit reduction.

COST, CHOICE, SECURITY, QUALITY

President Obama and this Congress want to reduce your costs, offer you the choice of doctors and plans, and guarantee affordable, quality health care for all.

COST LESS AND COVER MORE:

Through competition and choice, we will make coverage more
affordable for everyone—guaranteeing fairness and competition in the marketplace, simplifying
paperwork for patients and doctors, saving lives and money with electronic medical records, and
cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse. Focusing on primary care, prevention and wellness is the
first step.

YOUR CHOICE: YOU HAVE IT, YOU LIKE IT, YOU KEEP IT:

The freedom to choose what works best for you and your family—if you like your doctor, keep your doctor. If you like your current plan, keep your current plan. Or get a new one.

STABILITY AND PEACE OF MIND:

Your health needs will be covered by insurance and your coverage can never be taken away. You won’t be denied insurance based on a pre‐existing condition, or go without coverage if your employer drops your insurance, you change jobs, or are out of work.

QUALITY PATIENT‐CENTERED CARE:

We must have a system driven by patients’ needs, not corporate profits, empowering you and your doctor to make informed health care decisions that meet your specific needs.

1. October 27: Teletown Hall with Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Morrow and Dr. Bell of the DCD in Atlanta
   Congressman Maffei hosted a telephone town hall that connected more than 10,000 local people with health experts. The experts answered questions on H1N1 for an hour.
2. October 24:  Meeting with Seniors at Canalview Apartments, Lyons NY
   The Congressman addressed a group of residents at this senior apartment complex in order to discuss health care reform and efforts to ensure seniors are secure with the issues and up to date on the progress of the legislation.
3. October 19: Speaks to OASES “Your Government in Action” Class
   Q and A more than 50 citizens primarily on health care issues.
4. October 5: Meeting with Medical Device Companies
   Congressman Maffei met with representatives from New York State medical device companies and delivered remarks to more than a hundred attendees at their annual conference.
5. October 19: Senior coffees in Baldwinsville and Camillus
   Speaks with seniors in small group settings at local Centers.
6. October 2: Tour and meeting with cardiologists at the New York Heart Center
   Congressman Maffei toured the facility and met with cardiologist in the practice. The Congressman was able to view cost-saving CT Scanners.
7. September 21: Meets with Greater Central New York Health Underwriters Association
   Discusses healthcare reform with insurance representatives.
8. September 18: Tour of the University of Rochester Medical Center
   Congressman Maffei met with Hospital administrators to discuss health care priorities around the region and for area hospitals.  He also received a tour of Strong Hospital’s newest facilities.
9. September 8: Send off Rally and Press Conference
   Local citizens meet Congressman Maffei in front of Federal Building to voice support for health care reform.
10. September 2: Forum with Upstate Medical Students & Faculty
    Congressman Maffei met with faculty at Upstate Medical in a meeting, and then spent an hour answering questions and talking with an auditorium full of Upstate Medical students about their concerns of the future of health care as they enter the field
11. September 2: Meeting with the Onondaga County Medical Society
    Speaks with physicians on a wide range of topics affecting the health care industry.
12. August 27: Tele-Town Hall on Health Care
    Congressman Maffei hosted a telephone town hall where more than 20,000 people in the district participated. He took questions from listeners on a wide range of topics for 90 minutes.
13. August 27:  Meeting with Seniors at MVP in Rochester
    Congressman Maffei met with a small group of 20 seniors and administrators at MVP healthcare providers in Rochester to discuss Health Care Reform, and their interests and concerns with how changes in health care may affect their current health insurance plans.
14. August 27: Healthcare Roundtable with the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency
    FLHSA hosted a discussion with Congressman Maffei regarding Health Care Reform.  Key community representatives with focus on all aspects of Health Care, from Doctors, Nurses, Insurance agencies, Medical Centers, Educators, Insured Patients, Senior health representatives.  There were over 75 key community players, providing their views and suggestions for Health Care Reform.
15. August 14: Presentation on Health Care and Other Issues to FOCUS Greater Syracuse Group
    More than 150 citizens attended this town-hall style meeting to talk about health care reform and other issues of concern.
16. August 14: Town Hall on Health Care at Newark Village Hall

17. August 10: Visit to Crouse Hospital
    Congressman Maffei did the rounds with nurses at Crouse Hospital to get a sense of what they are dealing with in our local hospitals on a daily basis
18. August 8: Congress on Your Corner/ Town Hall on Health Care at DeWitt Library
    After more than 100 people came to the DeWitt Library for Congressman Maffei’s “Congress on Your Corner”, he stayed for an additional hour to host an impromptu town hall on health care
19. August 7: Meeting with Hospital Executives from Crouse Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, Community-General Hospital, Hospital Executive Council, and University Hospital
20. August 4: Attends Assemblyman Morelle’s Health Fair at Irondequoit High School
    Congressman Maffei attended a senior health fair in Irondequoit to talk to seniors about their concerns with health care issues and reform
21. July 27: Meeting with the NYS Department of Health and NYS Department of Insurance
    Congressman Maffei attended a briefing on federal health care and its impact on the state about Medicaid, Insurance Exchange, Market Reform, and other affordability issues
22. July 12: Teamster 1149 & CNY Physician Teamsters Alliance Clambake
23. July 8: Congressman spoke with the Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMNSNY) at the Annual Congressional Breakfast
24. July 6: Health Care Town Hall at Lincoln Middle School
    Congressman Maffei held a town hall attended by more than 400 people and took questions for hours
25. May 11: Holds Senior Citizen Fair in Dewitt
    Brings together more than 30 Federal, State and Local agencies including Social Security, Medicare and other health care organizations. More than 300 citizens attended.
26. April 16: Health Care Reform Press Conference
    Participates in press conference to discuss need for reform in nation’s health care delivery system
27. April 15: Tour of the Wayne-Newark Hospital
    Toured the Hospital with doctors and administrators for an hour to talk about issues rural hospitals face.
28. April 9: Town Hall Meeting-Irondequoit Town Hall
    Around fifty people attended the town hall to discuss various issues affecting people in Monroe County.
29. April 7: Town Hall-Newark Village Hall
    Around forty people came to Congressman Maffei’s town hall in Wayne County
30. April 6: Town Hall-LeMoyne College
    Hundreds of people came to Congressman Maffei’s first town hall, where he took questions from constituents for hours.
31. March 28: Congress On Your Corner, Nichols Grocery Store in Syracuse area
    Met with constituents to hear directly from them in about their issues and concerns
32. March 21: Congress On Your Corner, Starbucks in Rochester area
    Met with constituents to hear directly from them in about their issues and concerns
33. March 13: Holds first meeting with Health Care Advisory Committee (first of many meetings that have happened this year)
    Meets with physicians and other healthcare professionals and stakeholders from throughout the community
34. February 27: Health I.T. Event at Crouse Hospital
    Went to Crouse Hospital to see what upgrading systems to electronic medical records can do for doctors, nurses and patients
35. February 9: Visit to Syracuse Veterans Administration Hospital
    Meets with administrators, physicians and staff at the facility and talks with patients about their concerns.