Government, Healthcare Leaders to Focus on Uninsured Hoosiers
http://www.insideindianabusiness.com
Government, insurance, pharmaceutical and hospital leaders from Indiana and the nation will gather in Indianapolis tomorrow to take part in an event to shed light on the growing problem of the uninsured. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, Eli Lilly and Co. Chief Executive Officer Sidney Taurel and WellPoint incoming CEO Angela Braly will all participate. Deloitte & Touche will also present its national proposal, “Insurance-for-All,” during the event. It is estimated that there are more than 870,000 uninsured Hoosiers.
Ice Miller Partner Greg Pemberton says uninsured citizens impact the entire system, including businesses.
In an April 27 forum Gov. Mitch Daniels’ administration will promote its plan to insure more Hoosiers as legislative action on the proposal comes down to possible final moments.
Also featured will be former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, Deloitte Consulting national health care leader Bill Copeland, Ice Miller Partner Greg Pemberton and a panel that includes Eli Lilly CEO Sidney Taurel, WellPoint incoming CEO Angela Braly and St. Vincent Hospitals President Dr. Patricia Maryland. Thompson is also independent chairman of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions.
Presented by Deloitte & Touche USA and Ice Miller LLP, the event rallies the state’s key interlocking players — government, insurance, pharmaceuticals, hospitals and advisors — around a substantive push to help Indiana’s 870,000 uninsured citizens. Gov. Daniels or his designee will promote his “The Healthy Indiana Plan” while Secretary Thompson will offer a personal perspective and Copeland will present Deloitte & Touche’s national proposal, “Insurance-for-All.” The event marks Cover the Uninsured Week April 23-29, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
With states vying to enact a spectrum of solutions, Gov. Daniels’ proposal is called “unique” by a Kaiser Commission and “among the most innovative” by Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, as reported in the Indianapolis Star March 8. It’s voluntary (unlike Massachusetts), emphasizes personal responsibility and bites off a more sustainable approach. It features a cigarette tax, free preventative care and “Power” savings accounts to offset higher deductibles. The proposal is in a House-Senate conference committee. Adding to the forum’s drama: April 27 marks the closing days for the Indiana legislative session. Gov. Daniels’ plan: http://www.in.gov/fssa/GovernorsPlan.html
Deloitte’s “Insurance-for-All” plan calls for a federal program regulated by states and operated by commercial health plans. It features a $94 monthly premium and a payroll tax of $95 per employee per month for business that don’t provide employees a subsidy of at least $85 per month. Deloitte’s plan is detailed in the publication, The Catalyst for Health Care Reform, produced by Deloitte Consulting LLP and the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. It offers both opinions and analysis on the healthcare crisis.
Cover the Uninsured Week, April 23-29
Sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Cover the Uninsured Week demands a solution for the more than 46 million Americans lacking health insurance. This year’s week is supporting the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, among other goals. Activities are planned in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, including press conferences, community forums, health and enrollment fairs, seminars for small businesses, campus and faith-based events. More information, http://covertheuninsured.org/
Data on the Uninsured
As reported in Deloitte’s The Catalyst for Health Care Reform, The United States has 45 million uninsured Americans, yet the country spends $126 billion on health care for this population. Deloitte’s report cites an Institute of Medicine study estimating that the financial impact on lost productivity is between $65 and $130 billion annually.
Nationally the U.S. spent more than $2 trillion on health care in 2005, nearly $6,700 per person and 16.2 percent of our gross domestic product. By 2015 spending is expected to hit $4 trillion, more than $12,300 per person and 20 percent of GDP.
Deloitte’s report also includes a Kaiser Family Foundation study showing that the average health insurance premiums are $8,000-$10,000, while the median annual income for an American family is $40,000, a proportion forcing many families to do without insurance. Additionally, 36 percent of the uninsured — 16.5 million people — have a family income of $50,000 or more, yet they can’t afford insurance.
Indiana’s number of uninsured is typically reported in media as more than 870,000.
Indiana according to Gov. Daniels’ proposal asserts that Indiana is not a physically health state. It has the 2nd highest rate of smoking in the nation, the 3rd highest rate of cancer deaths and the 10th and 12th highest incidents of obesity and heart disease, respectfully.
Tommy G. Thompson, Deloitte Center for Health Solutions
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson is one of the most celebrated social architects of our day. As Wisconsin’s only 4-term Governor he enacted the landmark welfare-to-work program that ushered national welfare reform and created the nation’s first school-choice program. As Secretary for Health and human Services he led the Medicare drug benefit changes and bolstered regional readiness to health emergencies. With the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, Secretary Thompson is helping lead he national conversation on health care reform.
Governor Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr.
Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. is the 49th Governor of the State of Indiana. Elected in 2004, Gov. Daniels led Indiana to its first balanced budget in eight years, transforming an inherited $600 million deficit into a $300 million surplus in a single year. Indiana has enjoyed high profile economic wins during this time, including three major automotive investments from Toyota, Honda and Cummins. Gov. Daniels served as Director of Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush and is a former president of Eli Lilly and Company’s North American pharmaceutical operations and CEO of the Hudson Institute. He is also a former chief of staff to Senator Richard Lugar and senior advisor to President Ronald Reagan.
Bill Copeland, Jr., Deloitte Consulting LLP
Bill Copeland is national managing director of Deloitte Consulting’s Life Sciences & Health Care Practice, part of a larger group serving 75 percent of the Fortune 1000 companies in health care and life sciences, in addition to more than 80 percent of the largest managed-care organizations as ranked by AIS’s Directory of Health Plans and the 10 largest healthcare systems as ranked by Modern Healthcare. Copeland has advised some of Deloitte’s largest health plan clients on their most complex strategic challenges. Previously he started a national physician practice management company with $100 million in funding and was chief executive officer of a major healthcare provider. He is on the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN. Copeland authored a chapter in the book, The Wisdom of Top Health Care CEOs, edited by Scott Ransom, and is quoted in numerous national publications, including The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and BusinessWeek.
Gregory Pemberton, Partner Ice Miller LLP
Gregory Pemberton’s primary practice concentration is in corporate representation of all categories of health care providers and tax-exempt organizations. Pemberton is a frequent speaker and author on the topics of health care regulation and transactions, and on corporate and tax aspects of Indiana non-profit corporations.
He is a member of the Indianapolis, Indiana State and American Bar Associations. He is the immediate past chair of the ABA Health Law Section and the former chairman of the Indianapolis Bar Association Health Care Section. He is also a member of the American Health Lawyers Association. Pemberton serves on the board of directors of the Fund For Hoosier Excellence (as Treasurer), the board of directors of the Walther Cancer Institute (as Vice President), the board of directors of the New World Youth Symphony Orchestra (as President), the board of directors of the Indiana State Museum Foundation as vice chair, the board of directors of the Indiana Association of United Ways and the board of directors and the finance committee of United Way of Central Indiana. He continues to serve on the Core Legal Committee of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.
Pemberton has broad experience serving non-profit and proprietary healthcare organizations. He was part of the team that handled the creation of the Walther Cancer Institute, Inc. and its affiliates. He has assisted numerous clients in non-profit corporation reorganizations. He has represented numerous joint venture transactions including ambulatory surgery centers and other diagnostic providers. He routinely represents physician groups in all aspects of their practices.
Sidney Taurel, Eli Lilly and Company
Sidney Taurel is chairman and chief executive officer for Eli Lilly and Company. After graduating from École des Hautes Études Commerciales, in Paris, France, in 1969, he received a master of business administration degree from Columbia University in 1971. Taurel joined the Lilly subsidiary Eli Lilly International Corporation in 1971 as a marketing associate. He became general manager of the company’s affiliate in Brazil in 1981 and was appointed to the London-based position of vice president of Lilly European operations in 1983. He was named executive vice president of Eli Lilly and Company and president of its pharmaceutical division in 1993. Three years later, he was promoted to president and chief operating officer. He is also a member of the boards of IBM Corporation; McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.; and the RCA Tennis Championships. And he is a member of the board of overseers of the Columbia Business School, a trustee at Indianapolis Museum of Art, and a member of The Business Council and The Business Roundtable. In early 2003, he was appointed to the President’s Export Council to provide advice on international trade issues.
Angela F. Braly, WellPoint, Inc.
Angela F. Braly was announced on Feb. 26 as WellPoint’s new president and chief executive officer, effective June 1, 2007. Braly was previously WellPoint’s Executive Vice President responsible for its Medicare claims processing business (the nation’s largest) and its federal employees’ health benefits business. She also oversaw marketing, legal affairs, government relations, public policy development and social responsibility initiatives. She is also a former President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri.
Patricia A. Maryland, St. Vincent Hospitals
Patricia A. Maryland, Dr.P.H., is president of St. Vincent Hospital and Health Services. In addition to her stature as a leading local hospital executive, Dr. Maryland in 2005 was named to the Citizens’ Health Care Working Group, a federal panel leading the national debate on ways to improve the country’s healthcare system. The panel is a mandate of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003.
About Deloitte
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About Ice Miller LLP
Ice Miller’s lawyers and business professionals, through their understanding of businesses, industries, and government entities, help simplify the complexities faced by its clients. Ice Miller is committed to helping its clients achieve their legal and business goals. The Firm has offices in Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; Naperville, Illinois; and Washington, D.C. For additional information, visit online at www.icemiller.com.
Source: Ice Miller LLP
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