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OBAMA’S MYSTERIOUS “COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS”: Funded with $155 million but Nobody seems to Know Just what They Are
Barrack Obama has slipped in $155 million in the so-called ‘stimulus package’ for a line item called ‘Community Health Centers’ but has been vague on the details other than to say such things as, “These health centers will expand access to care by helping people in need” or that they are to “help people with no health insurance.”
One thing we do know about the plan is that it falls under the department of Health and Human Services, to be overseen by none other than the infamous Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius, the supporter of the even more infamous Dr. Diller of Kansas who specializes in performing partial birth abortions! Ouch! One could only imagine what surgical procedures will likely be performed in the Obama Community ‘Health’ Centers. But don’t bet your last tax dollar on seeing any live babies delivered in any of these centers. (See two background news articles below.)
Conducting Talk Show interviews on this topic is James Lansberry, vice president of Ministries International, an organization providing alternatives to traditional health insurance.
During your interview with James, he explains that the actual concept of enlisting the support of the community is an excellent concept. It’s just the execution of that concept that he questions.
Lansberry explains that for millennia people have helped one another bare the burdens of health care in one way or another and that it is only a recent concept to have big government health care.
At Samaritan Ministries Lansberry has overseen thousands of cases of people having their health care needs met from the community without government involvement and during your interview he shares just how economically and successfully this can be done.
ABOUT JAMES LANSBERRY AND SAMARITAN MINISTRIES…
James Lansberry, president of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, is a Peoria-based expert available to comment on a variety of issues related to health care, including alternatives to traditional health insurance, the economics of health care, health care public policy, health care and tax policy, and the health care industry in general.
Lansberry also is vice president of Peoria-based Samaritan Ministries International. He is a frequent radio guest and an occasional preacher/speaker at churches and conferences.
James Lansberry has been featured in publications including U.S. News and World Report, the Washington Post, as well as in Heritage Forum, the Journal of Modern Ministry, and Every Thought Captive.
In addition to being a health care ‘go to guy’ in print, James has been interviewed by the CBS Evening News and on popular talk shows.
The Alliance, with offices at 2400 W. Altorfer Drive, Peoria, was formed in 2007 to track and address public policy developments that could affect member ministries, which include Samaritan and Medi-Share. The two ministries provide health care cost-sharing arrangements among persons of similar and sincerely held beliefs.
The following article may be helpful with show prep:
REUTERS STORY ON YAHOO NEWS/ March 3, 2009
Obama pushes centers as one focus of health reform
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor Maggie Fox, Health And Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama has been vague about details of his healthcare reform efforts, but he provided a hint on Monday of one direction he could take -- community health centers.
As he announced the nominations of his two top health executives, Obama highlighted the allocation of $155 million to 126 community health centers as part of the $787 billion economic stimulus package.
"These health centers will expand access to care by helping people in need -- many with no health insurance -- obtain access to comprehensive primary and preventive health care services," Obama told a news conference.
"That helps relieve the burden on emergency rooms across the country, which have become primary care clinics for too many who lack coverage -- often at taxpayer expense."
The Health and Human Services Department said the money would create 5,500 new jobs and help provide health care to an estimated 750,000 low-income Americans.
Gary Pickens, chief research officer for the Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters, a division of Thomson Reuters Corp, agreed the centers relieve overburdened hospitals.
"Hospitals currently have overcrowded emergency departments and would probably prefer to see care given in more appropriate settings for conditions that don't require hospitalization," Pickens said in a telephone interview.
One of the repeated criticisms of the U.S. healthcare system is that patients are often sent to emergency departments for routine care if, for instance, their physician's office is closed or if they do not have health insurance.
Costs in emergency rooms are much higher than in a clinic, and politicians who oppose any kind of a move toward nationalized healthcare support the idea of using retail and community clinics to fill in some of the gaps.
"Over the next two years, a total of $2 billion in Recovery Act funding will be invested in Community Health Centers to support renovations and repairs, investments in health information technology, and critically needed health care services," HHS said in a statement.
It said one out of 19 American uses federal government funded health clinic for primary healthcare -- and such clinics treated 16 million people in 2008, including dental and mental health care.
"Nearly forty percent of patients treated have no health insurance and one-third are children," HHS said.
Obama named Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius to head HHS on Monday and former Clinton Medicare official Nancy DeParle as the head of a new White House office of health reform. He plans a healthcare summit of lawmakers, lobbyists and industry on Thursday. (Reporting by Maggie Fox, editing by Jackie Frank) © 2009 Reuters
ANOTHER ARTICLE THAT MAY BE HELPFUL WITH SHOW PREP:
USA TODAY/ March 2, 2009
Choice of Sebelius likely to renew abortion debate
The news this first Sunday in March is led by reports that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has accepted President Obama's offer to be the next secretary of Health and Human Services.
It's not a surprise. Since former senator Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination last month following reports about $140,000 in back taxes and interest he had to pay to make up for not having previously told the IRS about a car and driver he had been loaned, Sebelius' name has been prominent on the list of likely replacements.
Now, though, it appears the wait is over. The Associated Press says it's been told by a "White House source" that the announcement about Sebelius' nomination will be made tomorrow.
Politico, which says it got its information from a "senior administration official," writes that "Obama will introduce Sebelius Monday afternoon at the White House. ... He begins his push for a health-care overhaul in earnest Thursday with a forum that brings together members of Congress, health care interest groups and everyday Americans."
The Washington Post adds that "an administration source said it is likely that Obama will nominate someone else for a second post Daschle had created for himself: director of a new White House Office of Health Reform. One name mentioned for the job is former Clinton administration adviser Nancy-Ann DeParle, who would take over the effort to conceive, sell and implement a wide-ranging health-care overhaul."
As for how news of the nomination is being received, The Topeka Capital-Journal writes that: Sebelius, who has called for higher state tobacco taxes to finance health programs, is unlikely to face broad opposition at her confirmation hearing. Her voting record as a Kansas House member and positions as governor on abortion could draw the greatest scrutiny. She has sought to reduce the frequency of abortion, but she blocked efforts to deny women access to the procedure.
And, indeed, Christian Broadcasting Network's David Brody thinks the president is "about to get pummeled by pro-life groups. They view the Kansas governor as way out of the mainstream on abortion."
Groups are already alerting the news media about where they stand. The Christian Defense Coalition is opposed to the choice of Sebelius. Catholic United says it favors the choice.
Want to know more about Sebelius? Her official bio is here. The Wichita Eagle has gathered its reporting about the governor here.
© 2009 USA Today/Gannett
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