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Residents like health care plan, but come with questions
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Related Topics: Ellicott City
Ellicott City (Map, News) - Residents responded favorably to Howard County’s plan to give low-cost health care to thousands of residents but questioned how it would be funded and what services were included.
“I think it’s still a test program until they establish success targets,” Ed Rekas of Ellicott City said after Tuesday’s town hall meeting in Ellicott City, the first of three on the new plan.
In the first year of the program, County Executive Ken Ulman said only 2,000 residents will be enrolled in the program at a cost of $2.8 million. Officials are hoping to eventually provide low-cost health care to between 10,000 and 15,000 uninsured residents. Of the $2.8 million, $1.6 million will come from the monthly fees paid by the residents, $700,000 will come from the private sector and $500,000 will come from general funds in the county budget, Ulman said.
“I think it’s a really exciting program,” said Carol Trapnell of Ellicott City. “I’m interested to see how all the details work out.”
Health officials also warned that if residents didn’t “substantially comply” with all of their responsibilities, they would lose their services, except primary-care visits that are covered by monthly fees.
“We feel very strongly that health care is a right, but it’s also a responsibility,” said Howard County Health Officer Dr. Peter Beilenson.
“Every single participant in the program must have a health coach and a health action plan,” Beilenson said.
To be eligible for the program, a person must be a legal U.S. resident, a Howard County resident for at least one year and be medically uninsured for at least one year, and uninsured for six months at the program’s start. Officials expect the plan to be completed in January and to start in July. The plan could become a model for national health care coverage for the uninsured.
BY THE NUMBERS
These Howard residents would pay $50 a month for health care:
» Single adults earning less than $20,420
» Couples earning less than $27,380
» Families of four earning less than $41,300
These Howard residents would pay $85 per month for health care:
» Single adults earning between $20,421 and $30,620
» Couples earning between $27,381 and $41,070
» Families of four earning between $41,301 and $61,950
Source: Howard County Health Department
jkowalkowski@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
7:09 AM MST on Mon., Nov. 12, 2007 re: "Howard health plan raises concerns some might move to county for care"
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11:55 AM MST on Sun., Nov. 11, 2007
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8:36 AM MST on Sun., Oct. 28, 2007
re: "Howard health plan to include health coach"
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11:08 AM MST on Thu., Oct. 18, 2007
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8:29 AM MST on Sun., Sep. 23, 2007
re: "Howard health plan raises concerns some might move to county for care"
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4:38 AM MST on Fri., Sep. 14, 2007
re: "Howard seeks to be 1st in state with health care for all residents"
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Examiner Reader said:
What does a person have to do to lose a job at a firm run by your father? That would be an interesting story.
134 agree | 111 disagree
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An Examiner Reader said:
Mr. Ulman at a recent dinner that was attended by some one hundred people was overheard saying to one of his constitutents in what was, I suppose, a private conversation, that his personal annual income has suffered by a couple of hundred thousand dollars but that he felt Howard County required and needed someone such as he to lead it. That conversation was whispered to some other people in attendance at that dinner, all of whom just rolled their eyes. Well, Howard Countians, we are only into the first year of Mr. Ulman's reign as county executive. God, help us!
115 agree | 124 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
this guy lost the only job he ever had in the private sector. Now he thinks he can solve the health care crisis?
147 agree | 143 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
If this works we could be looking at our next governor. Look our O'malley.
127 agree | 145 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Why are we listening to Ulman on budget proposals? He was a Secretary of the Cabinet under Glendening, who as Governor created the structural deficit we deal with today. Ulman is an old-school, big government Democrat. It's easy for a rich guy like Ulman to propose free health care for Howard County residents. He is an estate planning lawyer who knows how to hide income from taxation. What about the middle class people who can't afford estate planning lawyers? We will foot the bill!
177 agree | 164 disagree
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William Cooke said:
This is a great idea. Health care should not be an issue for the federal government - there is no constitutional authority for that, but local governments ought to look for good solutions.
162 agree | 163 disagree
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