Health Insurance

Editor's note: This is the second in a three-part series about the effects of the Obama administration's health - care reform on Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley health - care providers and their patients. Dr. Peter Anderson sometimes goes for days in Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center's emergency room without treating an emergency. It's not for lack of patients. Anderson, the director of the hospital's emergency department for 35 years, has seen increasing numbers of people check in with ailments that traditionally would be handled by a family doctor.

Jenny Marder Droves of city employees flooded the already crowded City Council chambers on Monday night to protest an increase in health premiums that they say would be devastating. City employees with two or more children may be forced to contribute as much as $316 out of pocket monthly to their health insurance premiums next year. This is nearly a 400% jump from the $62 per month that they're paying now. "Three hundred and seventeen dollars will make the difference in our lives," Accounting Technician Freddy Horning said at the council meeting as she fought back tears.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher invited the wife of a convicted border patrol agent to Tuesday's State of the Union address, hoping to increase the pressure on President Bush to pardon the man and another agent. The agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, began a prison sentence Jan. 17 after being convicted of shooting a drug smuggler, who later claimed he was unarmed, in 2005. Rohrabacher, who represents Costa Mesa, said he invited Monica Ramos to the speech as his guest so the president could see her face-to-face.

Here are some of the items the council discussed Monday night. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FEE INCREASE The City Council approved an ordinance that would raise the costs of basic emergency services to pay for the increased costs of operating the Huntington Beach Fire Department The new measure would pay for 17 new firefighter positions and CPR training among other things. Councilwoman Pam Julien Houchen was absent. WHAT IT MEANS The cost for certain medical treatment administered by certain city departments will now increase.

Health insurance companies approved to offer plans under Medicare's prescription drug benefit, which will take effect Jan. 1, can begin marketing them to Medicare beneficiaries today. As a result, people may feel overwhelmed and bombarded with the number of choices -- 19 companies in California will offer a variety of plans, including the standard Medicare prescription plan every company is required to offer. The good news, experts say, is that with a little patience and preparation, enrolling doesn't have to be a pain.

Jose Paul Corona Helping seniors get the medical care that they need and deserve is Henry Ramirez's passion. The 82-year-old Huntington Beach resident volunteers about 20 hours a week as a counselor for the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program in Santa Ana and Anaheim, where he helps seniors sort out Medicare problems. "My pleasure comes from helping people," Ramirez said. "It keeps me young and active -- that helps a lot with your physical health."

Vern Nelson's pays the bills as a musician, playing churches, schools, restaurants and parties throughout the area, as well as writing liturgical music for local Roman Catholic churches. But the Huntington Beach resident has another passion as well, one that has brought him into the public eye lately for trading barbs in print with state Sen. Tom Harman. Nelson's goal? The passage into law of Senate Bill 840, a California bill that would replace private health insurance with a government system that handles all payments to doctors, hospitals and pharmacies.

The numbers attached to the new police union contract with Huntington Beach are fairly eye-popping: An 18% raise during the next four years, totaling about $6 million the city will be paying to its police officers. Seen another way, however, the raise ? negotiated during the past several months and approved by the City Council as part of a new contract earlier this month ? looks much less dramatic. Right now, the police pay in Surf City ranks fairly low ? seventh out of 12 Orange County cities ?

In 2007, 17% of all money spent (GDP) in the United States each year ? $2.4 trillion ? went to health care. And 31% of that went to administering health care ? not to doctors, nurses, labs, medicine, wheelchairs or comfort for the afflicted. Universal coverage countries all spend less than 10% of their GDP on health care. With a continuation of the health-care disaster Americans have now, we will spend 20% of our GDP within 10 years. By the end of 2009, almost $1 trillion of our national income will go to administrators who manage or supervise the execution, use or conduct of health care: chief executives, claims administrators, etc. Meanwhile, more than 75 million American adults, 42% of the younger-than-65 population, had either no insurance or inadequate insurance in 2007, the latter involves spending some 10% of their income on health-care expenses.

Jenny Marder Councilman Gil Coerper will urge his fellow council members on Monday to use a chunk of money set aside for four vacant positions and cancel the annual audit of a city department to help pay for city employees' health care. City officials say the only way the city can afford to help employees pay for rising health insurance would be by cutting existing programs or positions. So that is what Coerper is suggesting. Each year, the city audits one department.