Senator Grassley tours Veterans Memorial Hospital, holds question and answer session with hospital employees

by Joe Moses

Following a tour of Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, Senator Charles Grassley held a healthcare focused legislative forum with the hospital employees Friday, March 17, one of three forums held regionally at hospitals as part of Grassley's larger effort to meet with various industry specific professionals across the state. During the meeting introduction, Grassley discussed the importance of providing healthcare workers an opportunity to voice concerns and inquire about current legislation affecting the healthcare industry.

Veterans Memorial Hospital CEO Mike Myers started off the question and comment portion of the meeting by asking about the status of current legislation relating to the repeal and replacement of Obamacare, otherwise known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Grassley discussed the current Republican-sponsored healthcare legislation, known as the American Health Care Act, as being necessary with Obamacare not being sustainable and currently being in a "death spiral" with high premiums, high co-pays and insurers leaving the marketplace.

Grassley indicated that regardless of who won the 2016 Presidential election, this issue would need to be addressed due to the unsustainability of the current health insurance law and marketplace. Later in the meeting, Grassley further discussed the American Health Care Act and the process required for this legislation to replace Obamacare. Grassley described a three-year phase-in process and made comparisons to a similar time period used in establishing Obamacare.

Myers also inquired about what is being done at the federal level to entice doctors and healthcare providers to move to or stay in rural areas. In response, Grassley discussed the Critical Access Hospital program that benefits rural hospitals that participate in Medicaid and Medicare. Later in the meeting, Grassley commented that changes in reimbursement relating to quality and quantity of care need to be addressed, with Iowa having high quality healthcare with a lower level of reimbursement. He explained that changes proportionally in reimbursement will have a positive impact for hospitals, including in attracting healthcare professionals and in employee retention.

Grassley discussed prescription drug prices and changes that will take place with the proposed health care legislation. Grassley indicated that he is not in favor of governmental control of drug prices but sees three key steps in lowering them. He said the first such step involves the importation of drugs giving consumers a choice with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight ensuring efficacy and safety and allowing competition.

Secondly, what Grassley referred to as eliminating "pay for delay," where a patent runs out and drug companies make deals to keep generics out of the marketplace, which otherwise would have resulted in lower prices for the consumer. Lastly, Grassley suggested allowing generic drug manufacturers to get information on patents in a timely manner, which would allow for getting generic brands on the market faster.

Grassley answered questions and responded to comments on a variety of other healthcare related topics from various hospital employees before concluding the forum. Following the meeting, Grassley discussed with The Standard that Veterans Memorial Hospital is very important for healthcare delivery as a Critical Access Hospital, but also positively impacts the regional economy and the local community as an employer.

Grassley further discussed the proposed health care legislation as being needed to provide access to health insurance with the current law pricing consumers and insurance companies out of the market and with the impending votes on replacement (which did not result in approval the newly proposed American Health Care Act Friday, March 24), Grassley said it was important to get the opinions of his constituents. Grassley further discussed the growth and improvements seen at Veterans Memorial Hospital and commented on the number of children born at this hospital on a yearly basis.