Below is a transcript of the Minneapolis Online Forum, held September 4, 2008 from the Republican National Convention with Mike Tuffin of America's Health Insurance Plans.
Mike_Tuffin: The GOP Convention continues in Minneapolis and we want to hear what is on your mind about health care reform.
Mike_Tuffin: Let's get started.
Geoff asks: I'm sorry that I have not heard of your forum until now. Can you please tell me what ideas your group has to cover unemployed workers and their families? Cobra is limited only to 18 months and stop gap jobs rarely have employer paid benefits, requiring families to spend $1000/month for coverage or more, precisely when money is critical. Also how do you propose to cover preexisting conditions?
Mike_Tuffin: Geoff, thanks for joining us.
Mike_Tuffin: Our plan to help working families is based on building on the current system.
Mike_Tuffin: We need to strengthen the health care safety net, give working families a helping hand and fix the tax code to make coverage more affordable.
Mike_Tuffin: Cobra needs to be fixed so that people have real portability. We have proposed giving everyone a tax-free portability account that enables them to keep their coverage when they are between jobs.
Jane asks: I am unable to afford health care insurance even though I and my husband work. Would you consider changing your business model so that working Americans can have adequate health care and be more productive members of society?
Mike_Tuffin: Thanks for sending this in.
Mike_Tuffin: Health care must be more affordable for working families.
Mike_Tuffin: Unfortunately, medical costs race ahead of inflation every year - which drives up the cost of coverage. Health insurance premiums mirror the underlying cost of medical services.
Mike_Tuffin: We need a real affordability strategy. Everyone should have the information they need to make the safest, highest quality AND most cost-effective decisions. We can do that in every other area of life, but not health care. Congress can make this happen.
Mike_Tuffin: We also need to fix the medical liability system so doctors and nurses can practice medicine without living in constant fear of being sued. The liability system is driving up costs and driving doctors out of medicine.
Marcella asks: Are you supported by the Republican Party?
Mike_Tuffin: We are non-partisan.
Mike_Tuffin: Last week, we did a chat from the DNC.
Mike_Tuffin: We believe health care reform must be bipartisan in nature to win the support of the American people. We also believe there is far more consensus on health care issues outside the Beltway than many in Washington realize.
mariefromtx asks: I have a question for you. I am not happy at my job but I don't want to leave because my employer gives me good health care and covers my kids. Why can't I take my health care with me?
Mike_Tuffin: Marie - This is a critically important issue. Employer-provided coverage enables tens of millions of Americans to access affordable, quality health care.
Mike_Tuffin: But no one should be locked in a job because of health care. We need tax-free portability accounts so that people can afford to keep coverage when they change their jobs.
Mike_Tuffin: The government and employers should be able to make contributions to this account.
moderator2: We have gotten a lot of questions similar to this: Will you release the full schedule of your listening tour, including dates, locations, and times?
Mike_Tuffin: We have announced all the locations to which we are going.
Mike_Tuffin: We announce specifics as soon as we have them arranged. All of these events are open to the public and covered by the news media.
Mike_Tuffin: Our next stop is Albuquerque on Sept 9th. We will be at the Hispano Chamber of Commerce.
Mike_Tuffin: From there we head to Providence.
Mike_Tuffin: Providence is Sept. 15.
Mike_Tuffin: Please check our website or sign up for updates so you can be sure to be kept informed about the campaign.
Sandra asks: Why do Americans have substandard health care in comparison with other industrialized nations? Is it because of sky-high profits?
Mike_Tuffin: Our health care system has many challenges. But make no mistake, health care in America is not substandard.
Mike_Tuffin: We lead the world in medical technology and innovation. Americans have more access to the latest treatments and technologies.
Mike_Tuffin: Our great teaching hospitals are the envy of the world.
Mike_Tuffin: We have an unrivalled corps of committed physicians and nurses.
Mike_Tuffin: But too may people lack coverage. And that is wrong. It's a social and economic crisis for the country.
Mike_Tuffin: And costs go up every year regardless of the quality of care provided.
Mike_Tuffin: We need to get all Americans covered. We need to link costs to quality. We need to make sure all health care is based on the best available scientific evidence.
tomnc asks: I have a follow up question to what you just said--I just saw a news report that the number of uninsured Americans has gone down. Are things getting better, it doesn't seem like it when I talk to people?
Mike_Tuffin: While the latest census report shows a modest decline in the number of uninsured, 45 million Americans are still without coverage.
Mike_Tuffin: We need a public-private partnership that enables all Americans to get coverage. We need to strengthen Medicaid and SCHIP. We need to enable all Americans to purchase coverage with pre-tax dollars. We need real portability.
Andy_AZ asks: I am sickened by what I saw last week in Denver. All the Democrats want to do is expand welfare and grow the government. How could your industry, which has historically been market-based, conspire with liberals to give millions a free ride?
Mike_Tuffin: We are non-partisan.
Mike_Tuffin: We believe all Americans must have affordable health care coverage.
Mike_Tuffin: No one should fall through the cracks of our health care system. The private sector and the government need to work together. It is the only way to solve the problem.
Mike_Tuffin: Americans want affordable private coverage for as many people as possible and a strong safety net that no one falls through. We agree.
Leslie_Boston asks: How can you expand coverage to millions more people when the economy is in shambles and the budget deficit is in the billions of dollars?
Mike_Tuffin: Leslie, this is a critically important question.
Mike_Tuffin: The country needs to prioritize health care and devote the resources needed to make it happen.
Mike_Tuffin: But we will never solve this if we don't address the underlying cost of medical care. We need a real affordability strategy and we need to focus on quality and reward the highest quality care.
Mike_Tuffin: We also need to bring health care into the 21st Century in terms of IT. It is an outrage that so much of the health care system remains paper-based. Strategic investments in IT may cost more up front, but will yield significant savings moving forward. And they will improve the quality and safety of care.
moderator2: We have 15 minutes left. We will continue to answer as many questions as we can.
saltlake2 asks: I saw the event in Salt Lake in the newspaper, but couldn’t come. I have two employees in my company and cannot buy them insurance. What are you doing to help people like me and my employees?
Mike_Tuffin: We heard a lot about this during our visit to Utah.
Mike_Tuffin: Too many small businesses are finding coverage unaffordable.
Mike_Tuffin: So, again, it all comes back to costs. Regulators need to give health plans the flexibility to offer benefit packages that meet the needs of small businesses.
Mike_Tuffin: We need to offer significant tax incentives that enable working families to take up coverage when it is offered.
Gary_NYC asks: Which parts of the candidates’ plans do you support? Are there any ‘deal-breakers’ that you MUST oppose? On the flip side, are there any aspects that MUST be part of the solution?
Mike_Tuffin: First, it is great to see both major presidential candidates offering detailed health care proposals.
Mike_Tuffin: We believe there is room for common ground between the parties and among all stakeholders.
Mike_Tuffin: Both candidates have stressed controlling costs, health IT, focusing on prevention, and managing chronic conditions.
Mike_Tuffin: The American people need to hold both parties accountable and insist on action. We intend to be a constructive participant in this process. We are coming to the table offering mainstream, workable proposals that can appeal to both parties.
Delegate_MN asks: How can 47 million uninsured Americans be convinced that you are working in their interests? We all saw what happened the last time the insurance industry got involved in the debate.
Mike_Tuffin: Sorry for the technical difficulties
Mike_Tuffin: Please review our proposals and see if you find them credible.
Mike_Tuffin: We are committed to reform and committed to being a constructive stakeholder in this process.
Mike_Tuffin: Like every stakeholder, we should be held accountable as this process continues.
moderator2: We received a lot of questions and we want to answer as many as we can. We are going to keep the chat going a little longer to answer some of the other questions that were submitted.
Emily_VA asks: As a Republican, I’m concerned that your plans actually expand government programs. Why doesn’t AHIP favor a free-market approach to reform?
Mike_Tuffin: We believe there needs to be a health care safety net that no one falls through.
Mike_Tuffin: We also believe that health plans play a critical role in making health care more affordable, ensuring access, improving quality and making the system work better. Leaders in countries with government-based systems are turning to our members for help on affordability, prevention, health IT and chronic care.
Mike_Tuffin: The American people do not want a government takeover of the system but they do want strong action from Congress and the states to improve access and affordability.
Alexhelena asks: I read a report of new drugs with some harmful side effects. How can I be sure that I am getting the best treatment?
Mike_Tuffin: Alex - this is why we need what's called comparative effectiveness.
Mike_Tuffin: Patients and doctors NEED accessible information that enables them to compare the safety, quality and cost-effectiveness of all drugs, medical devices and new technologies.
Phild asks: Do you think everyone should have a health savings account?
Mike_Tuffin: We think everyone should have the choice to make the coverage decision that is best for themselves and their loved ones.
Mike_Tuffin: Many people and companies are finding HSA plans an attractive option. And many people with HSAs were previously uninsured or work at companies that did not offer coverage prior to the advent of HSAs.
Mike_Tuffin: But, again, the important thing is that people have the choice to make these decisions. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. HSAs may be the best choice for some people; others may prefer different coverage options.
moderator2: We have time for one last question.
indianoplis436 asks: Isn't your campaign just a sham and you are not really interested in reform? You don't care what Americans think.
Mike_Tuffin: We are committed to reform. We want to hear from people and we want to learn what we can do better. We have offered proposals that can be enacted and that can work.
Mike_Tuffin: Our campaign is about listening and sharing ideas.
Mike_Tuffin: We are meeting with people from all walks of life - insured, uninsured, small biz, working families, diverse communities. We want to know what you think about our reform ideas.
Mike_Tuffin: Let's take one more.
bevathome asks: As a Democrat, I support a single payer health care system. Why don't you?
Mike_Tuffin: The American people do not support turning over the entire health care system to politicians in Washington.
Mike_Tuffin: But they do want a strong public-sector safety net. And we strongly agree. We support Medicaid, Medicare and SCHIP.
Mike_Tuffin: A single-payer system would mean adding a new function to the federal government that is larger than Social Security, Homeland Security and Defense COMBINED.
Mike_Tuffin: Let's get real and build on what works and pass a plan that brings people together. It will take government and the private sector to make this happen.
Mike_Tuffin: Single-payer countries get one thing right - they cover everybody. We can do that while preserving the private sector role that Americans want - a uniquely American solution.
Mike_Tuffin: Thanks everyone. We look forward to continuing our national listening tour in New Mexico next week.