Filter Results for "Health Care"

Hearing loss is among the most prevalent birth defects in America, affecting 3 infants per 1,000 births. In adults, hearing loss usually occurs gradually, but increase dramatically with age. It is estimated that 10 million older Americans have some age-related hearing loss. In fact, according to the most recent statistics, approximately 665,692 Hoosiers have some degree of hearing loss; that roughly translates into 10.7 percent of our State’s population. While the good news is that 95 percent of individuals with hearing loss can be successfully treated with hearing aids; the bad news is that hearing aids are not covered under Medicare or many private insurance plans. As a result, only 22 to 23 percent of Americans with hearing loss currently use hearing aids. I believe that we can do better.

That is why I am a strong supporter and co-sponsor of H.R 2329 which would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow a nonrefundable income tax credit of up to $500 for the purchase of a qualified hearing aid for an individual who is either: (1) age 55 or older; or (2) is claimed as a dependent of the taxpayer. The tax credit is not intended to cover the full cost of hearing aids (which can cost as much as $1,800), but it will provide some measure of financial assistance to those who are most in need of these devices but are unable to afford them.

H.R. 227 seeks to amend the Federal tax code to allow individuals a tax deduction for health insurance premiums and un-reimbursed prescription drug expenses paid on benefit of the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse and dependents. With more and more Americans being classified as uninsured or underinsured we are once again hearing the refrain that it is the responsibility of the Federal government to make sure that all Americans have health care coverage.

I believe that the American people deserve affordable, accessible, high-quality healthcare. And providing all eligible individuals residing in the United States with free health care; including all medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services is a very noble and compassionate goal; but achieving that goal through creation of a government-run health care system has already been soundly rejected by the American people and the United States Congress.

However, whether we extend health care coverage through private sector initiatives or through government programs we are simply delaying the inevitable unless we tackle the true problem which is the skyrocketing cost of health care in this country. I believe we can make a serious dent in health care costs if we focus on three initiatives; ending the medical liability crisis through reasonable limits on non-economic and punitive damages; reducing overhead through updated medical billing codes and greater use of digital health care records; and, lowering prescription drug costs through an international market regime (sometimes called reimportation) – with appropriate safeguards to ensure the pedigree of the drugs from manufacturer to consumer.

In the interim, I believe we should focus on tax breaks – such as the deduction for health insurance premiums and prescription drug costs proposed in H.R. 227 – and savings initiatives like Medical Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts which can really help more Americans purchase health insurance and take control of their health care dollars.

Hoosier business, academic, and government leaders at all levels are vigorously engaged in a joint effort to turn our State into the center of America’s life sciences/biotechnology industry. The funding approved last week for Hoosier-led initiatives to combat autism, osteosarcoma and gynecological cancers by the House of Representatives will ensure that Indiana remains at the forefront of research on and treatment of autism, osteosarcoma and gynecological cancers.

The Fiscal Year 2008 Department of Defense (H.R. 3222) Conference Report included $2 Million for Riley Hospital for Children’s Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center and $1.6 Million for Women’s Oncology Research and Development’s Armed Services Gynecological Cancer Health Protection Program. The Fiscal Year 2008 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (H.R. 3043) Conference Report included an additional $200,000 for the Sarkine Center as well as $150,000 for Indiana University’s School of Medicine to purchase equipment for their new Bone Cancer Research Center. All three institutions are located in Indianapolis.

New scientific discoveries are critically important but they mean little to average Americans until and unless they are translated into new prescription drugs, medical devices and medical therapies. Last year I was proud to help lead the fight in the House of Representatives for the enactment of Johanna’s Law which created the first nation-wide public service campaign to educate women about the signs and symptoms of gynecological cancers. This year I am immensely proud to compliment that effort by obtaining funding for Women’s Oncology Research and Development – a non-profit organization dedicated to helping women conquer gynecologic cancers – to work with the U.S. Department of Defense on a program that educates servicewomen on the signs, symptoms, treatment options, and possible prevention of gynecological cancers. Increasing numbers of women are putting their lives on the line to serve in our armed forces and defend our freedoms. I believe that we have a moral and patriotic obligation to provide them the best possible healthcare, and this initiative will be a giant step forward towards fulfilling that promise.

According to the National Cancer Institute in 2007; an estimated 80,000 women in this country will be diagnosed with a new case of gynecological cancer this year; and an estimated 28,000 women will die from these diseases.

The growing use of quality and performance measures by consumers, insurers, and health care providers is starting to transform the delivery of health care in America. However, the majority of public and private sector investments in the development of quality and performance measures have focused on adults, particularly the elderly, rather then children. H.R. 2723 would address this problem by directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to: (1) identify quality and performance measures for pediatric service providers; and (2) award grants or contracts for the development, validation, and testing of new and emerging measures.

There is no doubt that when performance measures are done right they have helped to improve the quality of patient care, enhance coordination and management of care, and reward providers who have met or exceeded the benchmarks set by the measures. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. When performance measures are done wrong – such as in a bureaucratic, arbitrary, or punitive manner – performance measures have shown to be a hindrance to quality, to harm patient care, and to actually undermine the provider-patient relationship. The key difference is whether the performance measures are evidence-based, broadly accepted, clinically relevant, feasible, reliable, and above all practical.

I understand that there is a question about whether performance measures can be developed that reliably apply to children’s medicine. The two main concerns seem to be that children are: (1) that children are too small a share of the health care marketplace; and (2) that Children have unique health care needs and experiences, which require specialized medical expertise. In other words, the sample size would be too small and there is not enough comparability to make the measurements meaningful. However, I believe that our children deserve the best quality health care possible. If performance measures can help improve the quality of pediatric care then we should use them. And if it takes Federal investment to get the ball rolling then H.R. 2723 is a bill well worth considering.

**MEDIA ADVISORY**

REP. DAN BURTON TO HOLD VETERANS’ BENEFITS CONFERENCE

(Washington, D.C.)– Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN-5) announced today that he would be holding a Veterans’ Benefits Conference at the Carmel American Legion this coming Saturday November 10th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Congressman Burton along with representatives from the U.S. and Indiana Departments of Veterans Affairs, Indiana’s VA hospitals and the local Hamilton County Veterans Service Officer will be on hand to help Hoosier veterans and their families understand the resources they have available to them.

Burton stated, “One of the persistent challenges we face in providing benefits to our veterans community is simply communicating to them and their families the existence of benefits they may have earned. In many cases, veterans and their families are simply unaware of the veteran’s benefits they are entitled to or the process involved in getting those benefits processed. In my opinion, this is completely unacceptable. That is why I decided to hold this Veterans Benefits Conference so that Hoosier veterans and their families can come and ask face-to-face questions about the benefits available to them, and also share with me their concerns, whatever they may be, about the current VA system.”

“I am grateful to the Carmel American Legion for hosting this conference” concluded Burton, “and I strongly encourage everyone in the community to come participate in this event.”

WHO: Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN-5)
WHAT: Veterans Benefits Conference
WHEN: Saturday, November 10, 2007, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Carmel American Legion
852 West Main Street
Carmel, Indiana