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Area physicians group gives its take on health care reform

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By Angela Watson Gay, Staff Writer 11:32 PM Tuesday, September 15, 2009

CENTERVILLE — About 200 people were at Centerville High School on Tuesday evening, Sept. 15, to get a different perspective of health care reform.

The Committee for Health Care Reform Forum was presented by Doctors for America, a grassroots, national group of 14,000 physicians in all 50 states who say they are committed to “meaningful health care reform legislation.”

The doctors and other health care providers addressed the crowd of mostly 40 and up.

Dr. Don Nguyen explained what he called the “biggest scam” in health care insurance, “the so-called high deductible, consumer directed, out-of-pocket plan.”

Nguyen said you pay your premium religiously but when little Joe breaks his arm you have to pay out of pocket because you haven’t met your deductible. “It is catastrophic coverage,” he said.

“If we don’t do anything,” Nguyen said, “employers are going to drop their coverage and you’re going to see more people without coverage.”

Dr. Paul Gresham, who is a Centerville City Council member, told those in attendance that city employees were paying $166.72 for single insurance in 1999. This year, single insurance costs $381.70. For a family it was $469.37 in 1999, and this year that cost is $1,042.16.

There was also a question and answer session.

David Evans of Centerville has worked as an administrative assistant for a large company since 2001 and has insurance, but he worked various temporary and retail jobs for a long time without coverage.

“At the time I didn’t think about it, but now when I look back on it ....” Evans is in his 40s. “My heart goes out to people who don’t have any coverage.

“So what if it’s socialist; if it works it’s a good thing. Medicare works and that’s socialism, the medical treatment we give our military works,” he said, noting he’s a four-year veteran.

Recent University of Dayton law school grad Richard Huff, 26, said he’s a big believer in health care reform. He was glad to see an older crowd.

“(They’re) more conservative, fiscally,” he said. So that’s good.”

Huff said if other people see reform being backed by fiscally conservatively people, it might help them realize it’s not just for those who aren’t insured.

Ron and his wife Debi Hill of Beavercreek don’t fall in the uninsured category, but Ron doesn’t think anyone should.

Hill, 62, said he’s very interested in health care for all Americans “as rich as this country is.” Although he and his wife have coverage, he’s not oblivious to what others are going through.

“I realize people are actually hurting,” he said. “Insurance companies are making all the money and they’re deciding our care rather than doctors. That’s a tragedy.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2374 or anwatson@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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