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 Charting AnimationReturn to index of stories... |
Job hunting, healthcare, retirement planning. New Hampshire Outlook wants to help with charting your course. All week we focus on some of the key economic issues in the Granite State. We begin with a special report on on insuring for health. |
| Hello Return to index of stories... |
Hello. I'm Allison McNair. Welcome to NH Outlook. |
| Intro Healthcare Return to index of stories... |
New Hampshire was recently given the honors of being one of the healthiest places in the country to live. That's the good news. The bad news is there are an estimated 90,000 residents who don't have health care insurance. For those people, a trip to the doctor's office could be costly, if they go at all. One couple in Nashua lives with that uncertainity every day. Producer Phil Vaughn has their story. |
| Healthcare Return to index of stories... |
Ext dissolve to Carolyn with customer Narr 1 - Carolyn and Warren Horst work in the picture business. She restores them and he brings them to life. Together, they own PDQ Photo Lab in Nashua. Warren 3-9:30 "It's fun, it's challenging, everyday is different and I love working with people." Narr 2 - As small business owners, the Horsts love their independence. But it comes at a price. Carolyn - Phil - "When was the last day you had health insurance? June 30, 2002. When was the last time you were without health insurance? Never, this is the first time and it's scary." Narr 3 - Until a couple of years ago, Carolyn worked at the SleepNet Corporation in Manchester. Warren tended to the business. They had HMO coverage, through Anthem, courtesy of Carolyn's employer. It was a benefit that they took for granted. Carolyn - Phil "And then what happened? I was laid off so we went on COBRA." Narr 4 - COBRA extended their health coverage for 18 months. Carolyn wanted to continue with a comparable policy, so her search began. Carolyn - "I started looking in January for policies and realized it was not going to happen." Narr 5 - Carolyn's former employer has more than one hundred employees. PDQ Photo has two. Because of that, their policy rates would have doubled. Carolyn - "This is the cost when we were on COBRA - $565 a month. The same policy through Anthem was going to be $1,290." Carolyn - "So in June we decided not to take insurance." Warren 540 - "We're gambling. We're making assumptions that our health is going to be good." Carolyn - Phil - "Was it a tough decision? Yes, I was very emotional that we weren't going to be able to afford it." Bob - "It's taken us a long time to get into this mess and it's going to take us a long time to get out of it." Narr 6 - Bob King works for Goal QPC of Salem, NH. They're a non-profit organization that's looking at ways to reduce the costs of health care for small business owners. Along with the state's Chambers of Commerce he has developed prevention programs to help reduce hospital utilization. He also knows that an informed consumer saves money. Bob - "The small business community has a lack of information and understanding about the health care system, and the insurance system. For most small businesses the bill comes in, the rate renewal, hopefully it's only going up like a little bit, like single digits. Lately its been going up by double digits." Narr 7 - So Bob encourages business owners to look for options. Bob - "Higher deductibles are a possibility which can save 15-20 percent from the costs of insurance with lower deductibles." Carolyn - "There are a lot of policies we could use but they have a 5,000 dollar deductible and they still cost 800 dollars a month." Stand up - "According to the Department of Health and Human Services, there are 90,000 people in the state who don't have health insurance. About 70 percent of those people work for small businesses." Bob - "The insurance department is now reviewing the different segments of this one to one hundred pool that we have in the state, and some of the preliminary data indicates that the five to ten employees group is one of the most profitable in the state so there may be some need to look at some of the extra money that's being charged to the small business." Warren - I can understand that insurance companies need to charge a bit more for administration costs. While we were on COBRA, SleepNet charged us a 2% fee. Logicaaly, insurance companies could add a 10% fee, but not double the costs." Bob - "I was talking to some people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin the other day who are have also a regional effort. And they were telling me that for some companies the cost of insurance is higher than the wages of the employee. It's not that bad in NH yet, but it's gonna get that bad unless we do something, and that's why we feel as chambers to spend the time to really work at this to figure out how to fix it." Carolyn - Phil "What do you see for your future? Hopefully Anthem and the other insurance company will allow small businesses and the self-employed to band together so we can have lower costs. I hope it happens soon." |
| Intro Discussion Return to index of stories... |
Joining me to talk about the health insurance in the granite state. Shawn Lafrance from the Foundation For Healthy Communities, Bob McGrath from the University of New Hampshire Health Management and Policy and Amy Philbrick of the New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice at the University of New Hampshire. |
| Discussion Return to index of stories... |
POINTS OF DISCUSSION: Bob - How typical are Carolyn and Warren amongst small business owners? Do they have many options available to them? Shawn or Amy - What are the factors which drive health care costs in the state of NH? Shawn - There are 90,000 uninsured in NH - what happens with these people? How many of these uninsured people are children? Some make the assumption that uninsured still get care? Is that the case? Other myths - uninsured unemployed? What reasons companies say don't or can't provide health insurance? re we in danger of some NH companies dropping insurance? Are some uninsured those who decline to take insurance plan where they work? Why? When someone is uninsured, how do they receive/pay for health care? are the numbers of unisured on the way down in NH? Why do people who pay cash pay highest amount more than private and public insurers? C ***Intro HealthLink story roll-in. It's a program in the Lakes region that helps those who are uninsured and underinsured receive care for the cost of a co-pay. Medical staff volunteer their time. Tom mentioned the underinsured - what does he mean? We hear the term underinsured - what does that mean What is the impact of this population on the health care delivery system and/or the wider economy? If I have insurance, why should I worry about the uninsured? What work needs to be to resolve this problem? How do uninsured get coverage - charity, credit card payment schedule, 40% contacted by collection agency What about medicare recipients for OOP expense how much of their annual income For those with Medicare are they automatically covered with some type of insurance plan? Can you speak to the cost of procedures- why is it important for public to know costs Does it follow highest price highest quality? |
| roll -in Return to index of stories... |
It's a program in the Lakes region that helps those who are uninsured and underinsured receive care for the cost of a co-pay. Medical staff volunteer their time. |
| Tag Healthcare Return to index of stories... |
For more information about improving health and health care in the granite state you can visit the Foundation for healthy communities at healthynh-dot-com. |
| Tomorrow Return to index of stories... |
On the next New Hampshire Outlook - Charting your course. Doing Business in the Granite state. Is there really a New Hampshire advantage. Along with a company profile, we hear perspectives on business in New Hampshire. |
| Goodnight Return to index of stories... |
That's it for this edition of our program. For all of us here at New Hampshire Public Television, I'm Ally McNair. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| founders Return to index of stories... |
Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook: New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Public Service of New Hampshire Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust Putnam Foundation Stratford Foundation |
| WEB PROMO Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. Charting your course. Doing Business in the Granite state. Is there really a New Hampshire advantage? Tonight at 10pm New Hampshire Public Television. |
| key: Business / Economy Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time: 11/20/02 22:00 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 26:46 minutes In this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, we continue our week long series "Charting Your Course" a series of reports focused on key economic issues in the Granite State. This programs focus was healthcare. The show began with the following package. an estimated 90,000 Granite State residents who don't have health care insurance. For those people, a trip to the doctor's office could be costly, if they go at all. One couple in Nashua lives with that uncertainity every day. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Phil Vaughn NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Warren Horst\Small Business Owner Carolyn Horst\Small Business Owner Bob King\Goal QPC |
| key: Business / Economics Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time: 11/20/02 22:00 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 26:46 minutes In this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, we continue our week long series "Charting Your Course" a series of reports focused on key economic issues in the Granite State. This programs focus was healthcare. In the studio to talk about the health insurance in the granite state. Shawn Lafrance from the Foundation For Healthy Communities, Bob McGrath from the University of New Hampshire Health Management and Policy and Amy Philbrick of the New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice at the University of New Hampshire. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Allison McNair NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Shawn LaFrance\Foundation For Healthy Communities Amy Philbrick\NH Institute for Health Policy & Practice - University of New Hampshire Bob McGrath\Health Management & Policy - University of New Hampshire |
| key: Health / Healthcare Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time: 11/20/02 22:00 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 26:46 minutes In this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, we continue our week long series "Charting Your Course" a series of reports focused on key economic issues in the Granite State. This programs focus was healthcare. The show began with the following package. an estimated 90,000 Granite State residents who don't have health care insurance. For those people, a trip to the doctor's office could be costly, if they go at all. One couple in Nashua lives with that uncertainity every day. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Phil Vaughn NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Warren Horst\Small Business Owner Carolyn Horst\Small Business Owner Bob King\Goal QPC |
| Key Health / Healthcare Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time: 11/20/02 22:00 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 26:46 minutes In this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, we continue our week long series "Charting Your Course" a series of reports focused on key economic issues in the Granite State. This programs focus was healthcare. In the studio to talk about the health insurance in the granite state. Shawn Lafrance from the Foundation For Healthy Communities, Bob McGrath from the University of New Hampshire Health Management and Policy and Amy Philbrick of the New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy and Practice at the University of New Hampshire. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Allison McNair NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Shawn LaFrance\Foundation For Healthy Communities Amy Philbrick\NH Institute for Health Policy & Practice - University of New Hampshire Bob McGrath\Health Management & Policy - University of New Hampshire |
| Tonight 10:00 Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. Join us tonight at 10:00 only on New Hampshire Outlook. |