How I Am Hoping the New Health Care Bill Will Affect Me and Other Citizens of Alabama

First, my demographics - I am a 60 year old diabetic mental health professional in private practice in Alabama. My discipline is clinical social work. I am single and work alone. I believe the health care bill will have a significant effect on me, both personally and professionally. I also believe every citizen in Alabama will experience the benefits this plan offers.

Every legislator - Democratic and Republican alike - from Alabama voted against the health care bill. And they all vow to work for its repeal. Maybe the power of Blue Cross in this state has something to do with their decision. Despite their opposition most Alabamians make less the $88,000.00 threshold identified by the bill and will receive Federal assistance to pay for their health insurance. Many Alabamians are underemployed - the Federal figure is 17.4% for this state. Now, those wishing to start their own small business will be able to do so and still have affordable health insurance. Alabama legislators also voted against Social Security and Medicare. I can't imagine how many of the citizens of this state would survive without those programs. And soon, despite their negative attitude towards health care reform, almost every citizen on Alabama will be experiencing the benefits of this plan too.

Some background information - Over 90% of the insured citizens of Alabama have Blue Cross. Blue Cross of Alabama has a capitated contract with Alabama Psychiatric Associates to provide their counseling. Mental health providers cannot accept Blue Cross in their private practice. If they chose to work for Alabama Psychiatric Associates they must give up their private practice completely. The only mental health professionals who can work in private practice and accept Blue Cross are psychiatrists. But because it takes so much time to bill the "stragglers" who have other insurance very few psychiatrists will accept new patients who do not have Blue Cross even if they are on their panels. When insurance companies try to make referrals to those doctors they are told that they are not accepting new patients. At this time it is all but impossible for anyone in Alabama who does not have Blue Cross to see a psychiatrist. I am certainly hoping the health care bill will change that.

How I hope the health care bill will affect me professionally - If the citizens of Alabama have more insurance options I am hoping to be able to provide for those alternative insurers. I now provide for every other insurance company except Blue Cross. Federal options will give Alabama citizens more choices and hopefully bring an end to the mental health and medical monopoly Blue Cross now has. I expect to be able to make a referral to a psychiatrist and have the medical backup I have had to search to find. My last patient who needed a psychiatric referral had to go to Gulf Port in Mississippi, about 70 miles from Mobile, to find one despite having Tricare insurance.

How I hope the health care bill affects me personally - I have been diabetic most of my adult life. That means my pre-existing condition has prevented me from getting any insurance at all other than what is offered by joining the Alabama high risk pool. Currently the least expensive policy available to me has a $532 monthly premium and a $4000 deductible for medical care and a $1000 deductible for drugs. It is a Blue Cross policy. Through the high risk pool I could chose a United Health Care policy for significantly more money. These fees are increased twice a year - on my birthday and when the year changes. Now that my pre-existing condition cannot prevent me from getting a policy I expect my choices to increase and the cost of those choices, because of competition, to go down. Because I do not make $88,000 a year I may qualify for federal assistance to pay for my plan.

The citizens of Alabama are going to all benefit from this plan - despite the misunderstandings, fear of increased costs, and poor legislative leadership.