Giffords summarizes health bill to constituents: complicated

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords spoke to about 350 people Monday night in a telephonic question and and answer session, telling them that the 1,600-page health care proposal facing Congress is so complicated that constituents may want to consult a 60-page summary that is available in her office and on her Web site.

The Congresswoman took a handful of questions from those who were listening in and her responses summarized the proposal. Questions focused on whether the proposal is like the single-payer Canadian system (no, she said, it builds on our current system); how it would affect small busineses (would require those with payrolls above $250,000 to offer health insurance or face penalties); how it would affect Medicare (complicated); how it would affect retired military personnel (very little, she said).

The big question came last in the hour-plus session: how would the $1 trillion-plus system be financed. The answer to that, she said, is complex, but includes a tax on the top 1.2 percent of households — couples with an adjusted taxable income of $350,000 a year or individuals with an adjusted taxable income of $290,000. Giffords said some families might have a gross incomes of $1 million or more, but a taxable income of only $350,000. The tax would affect about 4,000 households in District 8, according to a district-by district fact sheet document filed on her Web site, www.giffords.house.gov.

A list of fact sheets, summaries and other documents related to the health care proposal is online at http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1687&catid=156&Itemid=55.

It includes district by district impacts in all congressional districts. For example, the document says District 8 health care providers gave $69 million in uncompensated care in 2008. The fact sheet does not say how much of that amount would be addressed by the legislation facing Congress, as much of the uncompensated care was for illegal border crossers who may not be affected by the legislation.

Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona of Tucson also spoke, saying that a huge proportion of America’s health care cost are for preventable conditions, including obesity and diabetes. Giffords said the proposal would encourage preventive care. Carmona said the United States spends far more on health care thatn other countries with poorer outcomes.

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