On this Heard in Central Florida you’ll hear remarks offered by Dr. Aaron Liberman on the subject of Health Care Reform.
Dr. Liberman is Professor of Health Services Administration at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. A more detailed resume of his career and credentials may be found on our website.
Feature Length — 58:58
After introductions, Dr. Liberman’s presentation runs 40 minutes. It is followed by 12-minutes of answers to audience questions. The remainder of the program addresses issues unique to the attending league members.
Please note that the Heard in Central Florida webpage offers you relevant and helpful and links to on-line content regarding issues addressed by Dr. Liberman. Additionally, there are still pictures of the event included in an on-line slide show.
Known as the League’s Hot Topic Luncheon – this event was held Thursday, January 27, 2011at Sergio’s Italian Restaurant in Sanford, Florida. The event drew more than 30 league members and members of the public.
Key Participants
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Dr. Aaron Liberman
Professor of Health Services Administration, University of Central Florida in Orlando.
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Deana Schott
President, League of Women Voters of Seminole County
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Helpful Content Links
- History of Medicare
- Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
- Professional Standards Review Organization (PSRO) 1972
- Utilization Review
- Health Maintenance Organization and Pre-certification
- National Health Planning and Resources Development Act of 1974 (established Certificates of Need)
- Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)
- Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1985 (anti-dumping statute arose from this)
- Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1987 (created the National Health Practioner Data Bank)
- Resource Based Relative Value Scale (Harvard University)
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPA) privacy protection
- Ambulatory Payment Classification Medicare Part D
- Present on Admission Standards (POA)
- Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (known as Health Care Reform) 2009
- Health Enforcement Action Team (HEAT – IRS, OIG, DOJ to alleviate Medicare fraud)
Additional Text
Dr. Liberman gave a brief history of Health Care in the United States. Medicare was established in 1966. A social insurance program it wasn’t perfect when it started. Health Care Reform as it exists today has many problems that need to be worked out – it will be a process. Currently $2 ½ trillion is spent on health care. It is taking over all of the other items in our budget.
Health Care insurance started with coverage for Ford employees in 1946. It was the beginning of an employer-based insurance system. The number of employers currently supplying health insurance is shrinking – the employers cannot afford it. We have to look at other sources for health care insurance. If the employer-based system continues as it has, the cost to insure each employer will jump to $25,000 per employee.
Health Care Reform will not stem the high costs of health care in this country. However 32 million currently uninsured would now be covered by health insurance. The need is there. Health Care is no longer just health care but a political issue.
The New Patient Act and Affordable Care Act includes the following:
- Pre-existing conditions – eliminates discrimination based on health states or gender.
- Creates insurance exchanges – individual can shop for insurance.
- Individual Mandate – there is a requirement for adults to have health insurance.
- Equity access – now only the insured have access to health care
- Medicaid expansion.
There are 4 emerging realities without having health care reform:
- Health care costs will skyrocket.
- Can no longer rely on employers to absorb employee insurance costs. Most can no longer afford to provide coverage to their employees.
- The reality of health care costs will cripple our economy.
- This bill will not cure all ills. It still needs work.
The President has appointed a Health Care Task Force consisting of IRS, Office of the Executive General and the Department of Justice (FBI). Their charge is to investigate fraud and eliminate it. They will work on unnecessary charges, provider errors, and emphasize preventive care. Fraud elimination would save hundreds of millions of dollars in health care costs.
Additional Event Pictures
After you launch the slideshow below, click “Next” and “Previous” to rotate through the photos.
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In my opinion Dr. Liberman although he says he’s a Republican talks as an Obama representative and that’s scary! He made many good points and understandably did not address any issues that the public is concerned about. Yes, we should try to control the Insurance company costs (which I believe drives the doctors costs), but equally important we need to control the Congress who is exempt from this health care reform and had they not used the MEDICARE funds (not addressed in the history), that program would still be healthy today.