Dallas Area Interfaith

Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters . . . Amos 5:24 1104 Lupo Drive Dallas, Texas 75207 Telephone: 214-689-5988 Facsimile: 214-689-6865 Email: info@dallasareainterfaith.org www.DallasAreaInterfaith.org

December15,2013 ChairmanDarrelIssa HouseCommitteeonOversightandGovernmentReform 2157RayburnHouseOfficeBuilding Washington,DC20515 RankingMemberElijahE.Cummings HouseCommitteeonOversightandGovernmentReform 2471RayburnHouseOfficeBuilding Washington,DC20515 Re:CongressionalFieldHearinginRichardson,Texas,December16,2013 DearChairmanIssaandRankingMemberCummings: Foundedin1992,DallasAreaInterfaith(DAI)isanonpartisan,multiethnic,multiissuegroupof religiouscongregationsandschoolsintheDallasmetropolitanareawithaggregatemembershipinits memberinstitutionstotalinginexcessof90,000.DAIhaslongfoughtformoreadequateandmore accessiblehealthcareforresidentsofDallasCountyandforallTexans. WeaskthatyouallowamemberofourHealthCareCommitteetestifyattheCongressionalField HearingonDec.16inRichardson,Texas. Werequestthatthisdocumentbesubmittedintotherecordofthehearing. SeveralyearsagoDAIconductedhundredsofsmallgroupmeetingswiththeleadersinourmember congregationsandschools.Wetalkedwithover3,000individualsandtheyspokeoftheirinabilityto accessgoodhealthcarefortheirfamiliesandoftheirinabilitytopayforhealthcare. WiththepassingoftheAffordableCareActin2010,DAIwasencouragedthatmostoftheover 700,000peopleinDallasandCollinCountiescurrentlywithouthealthinsurancefinallywouldhave accesstogood,moreaffordablehealthcoverage.Weworkedwithourelectedstateofficialsfrom bothpartiestohelpsetupaninsuranceexchangeandtoinsuretheexpansionofMedicaidinTexas. However,despiteoureffortsandthoseofconcernedstateofficialsandmanyotherorganizations,
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TexascurrentlyhasnostateexchangeandthereisaMedicaidGapforadultsearningunder100%of FederalPovertyLevel. Wedecidedtoworkaggressivelytoprovideinformationtothosewhowereeligibleunderthe federallyrunmarketplacesotheycouldhavehealthcare.Tothatendwedevelopedandprinted 100,000informationalbookletsandhaveheldmanyeventssinceAugustofthisyeartoeducatethe familiesinourmemberinstitutionsabouthowtheexchangeandfinancialassistanceworkforthem. WehaveworkedwiththerecipientofthelocalNavigatorgrant,tocoordinateouractivitiesandhave theirNavigatorsatourevents.Thisorganizationhasworkedwithinourcommunityformanyyears helpingthoseeligibletoenrollinMedicare,Medicaid,CHIPandotherprograms. Manyofourmembersnowhavesuccessfullyenrolledinaninsuranceprogramthroughthe marketplaceandweareincludingsomeoftheirstories.Someareobtaininghealthinsuranceforthe firsttime.SomewhowereintheTexasHealthInsuranceRiskPoolbecauseofpreexistingconditions areobtainingpolicieswithconsiderablylowerpremiumsanddeductibles.Somehaveexperienced thefinancialpainoffindinganexistingpolicywaswoefullyinadequatebuthavenowenrolledinvery affordableplanswithmuchbettercoverageandbenefits. MaryLouHoffmanreportsthatherdaughter,aNorthTexasresident,chosewhatshethoughtwasan affordablehealthinsuranceplanthroughheremployer,alargecompanywheresheworksfulltime. ThePPOplandidnotdisclosethelimitstoheremployerorherself.Thecapwas4doctor appointmentsandatotalof$400paidoutfortheentireyear.Thiswasnoteventhecheapestplan offeredtothecompany!WhenMaryLousdaughterhadmajorsurgeryin2013,herhealthcarebills, uncompensatedbyinsurance,wereover$10,000fordiagnosticsandsurgery.In2014becauseofthe upfronttaxcreditsallowedbytheAffordableCareAct,shewillbeabletoaffordamuchmore completehealthinsuranceplan. HarryDavissays,IreceivednoticeofcancellationofmycurrentinsuranceeffectiveJanuary1,2014. Aftersomeearlydifficultywithgettingonthewebsiteandgettingmyinformationinput,Itriedagain thefirstweekofNovember.IfoundthatIcouldgetonandoffthesitewithverylittledelay.Iwas abletoanswermostofmyinsurancequestionsthroughhealthcare.gov,andthoseIcouldntget answered,Iwasabletofindanswersbycallingtheindividualinsurersdirectly.Finally,afterIhad compiledalltheinformationIneededtodecideonthebestplanforme,Iwentonthehealthcare.gov websiteandsignedupfullyonNovember10th.TheinsuranceIobtainedhadbettercoveragethanmy previousinsurance,isapproximately35percentcheaper,andIwasabletopurchasedentalinsurance forthefirsttimesinceIworkedforacompany9yearsago. Texashasthehighestrateofuninsuredinthenationoneinfouror5.5millionpeople.Everymajor cityinTexashasanuninsuredratehigherthanthenationalaverage.Employersponsoredhealth coverageinTexasislowerthanthenationalaverage.Weneedthislawtowork.Weneeditforthe healthofourcitizensandthewelfareofourstate. Yet,insteadofworkingtoensurethelawssuccessandallowingthosetrainedtohelppeopleenroll, thestateofTexaswantstoimposeburdensometestingandcompliancerulesandsubstantial financialpenaltiesforbeingNavigatorseventhoughthereareconsumersafeguardsbuiltintothe law.Wewishtheyhadshownthismuchinterestinconsumerswelfareatthetimewewerefighting forMedicaidExpansionandastaterunmarketplace.
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DAIwillcontinuetoeducatethefamiliesinourcommunitiesabouttheiropportunitiesforaffordable, qualityhealthcareandtoworkwithourelectedofficialstoensurethegreatestnumberofTexans possiblegetshealthinsurancethroughtheACA. Respectfullysubmitted, DALLASAREAINTERFAITH GwenLummus,LeaderandChairperson,DAIHealthCareTeam JohnKnutson,LeaderandMemberofDAISteeringCommittee

BettyWhite,Leader

AlanLummus,LeaderandMemberofDAISteeringCommittee AdaSimmons,LeaderandMemberofDAISteeringCommittee

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