We must fight back against politicians who take bribes for obstructing Obamacare and Greedy Insurance companies that hide ACA benefits

Since:

1. Obamacare will remain complex and ever-changing
2. It involves tax returns
3. Citizens will need a place to report changes and/or discrepancies in income
4. Citizens will need a place to go to resolve disputes with insurance companies

It will be imperative for Obamacare to have a presence on the community. 

I worked for the Social security Administration for 34 years and for the last several years we were tasked with contacting 10's of thousands of citizens to verify income and assets for the Medicare Part D prescription program.  And we had always handled enrollments in Parts A and Part B.  We have over 1300 offices nationwide.  See the blog post before this on for a copy of my submission to the house ways and means committee.  The plan provides a low cost way to roll-out ACA customer service and verification quickly and cheaply.  It would take HHS significant time and money to do it on their own.

 

"New Storefront Takes Health Exchange Message To The Streets" See the Hartford Courant

On October 29, 2013, Access Health CT  www.AccessHealthCT.com opened what is believed to be the nation's first Obamacare retail storefront for walk-in service. 

On October 29, 2013, I submitted a plan to the House Ways and Means committee that asks SSA to partner with HHS and all state Obamacare exchanges to allow ACA navigators and application helpers to use the empty workstations in all 1300 SSA offices nationwide.  In my blog posting below dated October 29, 2013 is my written submission.  The Honorable David Camp is my Congressman. I have also sent copies to Senators Levin and Stabenow.  There are between 5,000 and 15,000 desks and computers available.  This office space available is worth close to $200 million and they are unused due to staffing losses.  There would be little to know costs since SSA has lost 15% of its staff in the last 6 years. 

 Georgia governor gets paid through secret PAC to obstruct Obamacare:    The Raw Story 
Half a million dollars of the money donated to the PAC has come from corporate health care interests which — like the governor and Georgia state Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens — oppose the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as “Obamacare.”  Last week, state insurance commissioner Ralph Hudgens was caught on tape boasting to a crowd of supporters that his office is deliberately obstructing the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. As Floyd County Republicans called out “Amen!” and applauded, Hudgens said that his office is interfering with the certification of the ACA’s insurance policy “navigators,” individuals hired to help consumers choose policies on the open market.  Some might say that these actions along with the lack of Medicaid expansion are like a form of socioeconomic genocide.

Making Obamacare enrollment campaign successful will be a long slog, especially, after all the negative publicity. Across the country, insurance companies have sent misleading letters to consumers, trying to lock them into the companies' own more expensive health insurance plans rather than let them shop for insurance and tax credits on the Obamacare marketplaces. See the Talking Points Memo  Obama/HHS didn't cancel policies, insurance companies did .ACA shined BrightLight on LousyPolicies &they scattered like insects.  BlueCross said at a local public meeting that they cancelled policies that could be grandfathered; probably to avoid law suits for selling crap
Half of those eligible for Medicaid Expansion aren't getting it b/c GOP Governors want to please Koch Bros, insurance companies, etc.

 

We must put pressure on HHS and SSA to put Navigators and application helpers in all 1300 SSA offices.  It could be done within 30 days. This would rebuild confidence in Obamacare.  It will help people believe that it will be just as good as Medicare.   The plan I submitted could overcome actions of greedy insurance companies and PAID Obstructionists like Georgia's Governor and it could help make up for the confusion and frustration citizens are experiencing when trying to use Healthcare.gov

 My plan to have 5,000 to 10,000 Obamacare Application Helpers use the 5,000 to 10,000 empty workstations in the 1300 Social Security Offices nationwide was just forwarded to  http://www.familiesusa.org/ and http://www.enrollamerica.org/  These organizations received grants to develop the roll-out of Obamacare. This would be a win-win for HHS and SSA as SSA is paying for office space they are not using and managers do not want to see dozens of local SSA offices shut down.  Having Navigators in all 1300 SSA offices would make more efficient use of office space and equipment that has already been paid for and it would give HHS one simple location in most communities that is more trusted than any other agency.
We only have this one chance in the history of America to get Obamacare right.  Lives are at stake and we cannot afford to fail

Written Submission for Hearing on the Status of the Affordable Care Act Implementation by House Ways and Means Committee‏

October 29, 2013

Public Submission For The Record by a Private Citizen for

Hearing on the Status of the Affordable Care Act Implementation

The Honorable David Camp

Chairman
Committee on Ways and Means
1102 Longworth House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515

Fax: 202-225-2610

 

Subject: Low Cost Plan to Greatly Improve Customer Service for Obamacare

 

Dear Congressman David Camp:

 

Feel free to contact me anytime for more details or to answer questions.  Please let me know if you plan any hearings in the future on ACA customer service.  I would like to contribute and/or testify.

I retired from the Social Security Office in West Branch, MI in January of this year.  I worked 17 years as a claims representative and 17 years as a field office manager.   I submitted the plan shown below to Senators Stabenow and Levin.  Please note that I had a telephone conference call to explain this proposal on July 19, 2013 with Claire Green and her staff at the Social Security Advisory Board.  www.ssab.gov 

Local and National Social Security Offices (SSA) have been referring individuals to 1-800-318-2596. I called this number and asked how I could find an ACA Navigator for Ogemaw County MI, where I live. They look some stuff up and they asked me to call thewww.michigan.gov/DFIS 
http://www.michigan.gov/difs/0,5269,7-303-12902_35510-310214--,00.html
at 1-877-999-2596. They told me to call 800-318-2596. I told them that's the number that told me to call DFIS.

Citizens in our four county area have no idea how to contact an ACA Navigator. There is no Navigator for Ogemaw county where I live.  I am also concerned about non-profit non-government staff having access to our personal data and who do we contact when we have a problem with the insurance companies. The office space in the 1300 field offices across the nation are available for free. ACA customer service may be doomed as there are too many middle men. HHS gives grants to the states, the states give grants to statewide organizations who in turn contract with local organizations to be navigators. The result is four layers of bureaucracy and four layers of overhead. There are thousands of different ways this is being handled across the states. There should be at least 1 to 5 navigators stationed in each of the 1300 offices nationwide during the day to help ACA consumers walk through the complex process especially those who are not able to use the 800 numbers or the websites. It would reduce the confusion and the possibility of scams. This is too disjointed and waters down getting the word out and the work done. This would be a win-win for HHS and SSA as SSA is paying for office space they are not using and managers do not want to see dozens of local SSA offices shut down.  Having Navigators in all 1300 SSA offices would make more efficient use of office space and equipment that has already been paid for and it would give HHS one simple location in most communities that is more trusted than any other agency. HHS should hire federal employees or contract employees to work in all SSA offices to be navigators or let navigators from local organizations use this office space.  ACA clients will need ongoing help making decisions about providers and claims problems which may be too much for third level contractors to handle. ACA customers will need to report when their income & assets change during the year.  SSA has lost 10% of staff in last 3 years. Due to attrition, each of these 1300 offices have 3 to 10 empty workstations (desks, phones, and computers) that could be used in the mornings & afternoons. That's between 4,000 & 10,000 free workstations.  Having two shifts of white collar employees in each of the 1300 Social Security offices would allow navigators to use 10 to 30 workstations during the evenings to serve ACA customers. The navigators could also bring their own laptops.  SSA staff could still use those workstations during the day to serve SSA customers. When Medicare first started, SSA offices had to be open at night and on the weekends to get everyone enrolled but SSA got the job done. We must be successful in the roll-out of customer service for the Affordable Care Act. The only reason that the roll-out of Medicare was successful is that there was one place for citizens to go in each community to get help and sign up, their local Social Security office. In addition, ACA will have a larger customer base than Medicare.  Placing navigators and application helpers in SSA offices could be done within 30 days. This would rebuild confidence in Obamacare.  It will help people believe that it will be just as good as Medicare.  This action could help make up for the confusion and frustration citizens are experiencing when trying to use Healthcare.gov POSSIBLE SAVINGS: SSA has office space for 5000 people times annual overhead cost of $24,000 each/year = $120 million per year wasted if not used by ACA navigators.  SSA has office space for over 25,000 available in evenings times $24,000 per  year = another $600 million wasted if not used ACA navigators. Total savings if ACA workers use space already paid for by Social Security Offices = $720million/yr times 10yrs= $7 BILLION. If federal government saves this much it might pay for a single payer plan. The most important event in our generation that shows the need for good federal customer service is the roll-out of Obamacare.  If we get it wrong it could be catastrophic and millions would miss out on the health insurance they need.  This affects too many people and it is too complex of a culture change to limit customer service to the internet and 800# call centers.    Most people would not buy a car or a house via the internet or an 800 number. Many citizens want or need face-to-face customer service.  The Social Security Administration serves millions by the internet and about 56 million by telephone.  However, they still had 45 million visitors that came in for face-to-face service last year.  Due to technical and/or physical limitations, some individuals have no secure access to the internet, some cannot verify their identity via the internet and/or communicate over the telephone.  Some individuals will need a relative or other concerned person appointed to help them make healthcare and health insurance decisions.  This could be patterned after the Representative Payee system used to track payees and guardians for Social Security beneficiaries.

For a plan to add 2nd shift of employees at other agencies see:
http://whitecollargreenspace.blogspot.com/
 

Sincerely,

Timothy A. Albright
989-701-8813 Cell

 Email: timalantoo@hotmail.com

CC: The Honorable Debbie Stabenow

          The Honorable Carl Levin

New way to make it easier for citizens enroll in Obamacare: Low Cost Plan to Greatly Improve Customer Service for Obamacare‏

The following plan could help make up for the confusion and frustration citizens are experiencing when trying to use www.Healthcare.gov 

 

We must put pressure on the Social Security Administration(SSA) to allow Obamacare Application Helpers to use the empty workstations in all 1300 offices nationwide. They total 6,000 to 10,000, altogether they are worth up to $200 million, and they are unused due to staffing losses.  This would be a win-win for HHS and SSA as SSA is paying for office space they are not using and managers do not want to see dozens of local SSA offices shut down.  Having Navigators in all 1300 SSA offices would make more efficient use of office space and equipment that has already been paid for and it would give HHS one simple location in most communities that is more trusted than any other agency. This would greatly simplify national PSA'a - just tell citizens to visit their local SSA office.

We only have this one chance in the history of America to get Obamacare right.  Lives are at stake and we cannot afford to fail.

 

Citizens in our 4 county area have no idea how to contact an ACA Navigator. I am also concerned about non-profit non-government staff having access to our personal data and who do we contact when we have a problem with the insurance companies. The office space in the 1300 field offices is free.
ACA customer service may be doomed as there are too many middle men. HHS gives grants to the states, the states give grants to statewide organizations who in turn contract with local organizations to be navigators. There are thousands of different ways this is being handled across the states. There should be at least 1 to 5 navigators stationed in each of the 1300 offices nationwide to help ACA consumers walk through the complex process especially those who are not able to use the 800 numbers or the websites. It would reduce the confusion and the possibility of scams. This is too disjointed and waters down getting the word out and the work done. Citizens in our 4 county area have no idea how to contact an ACA Navigator. I am also concerned about non-profit non-government staff having access to our personal data and who do we contact when we have a problem with the insurance companies. The office space in the 1300 field offices is free.

CMS should hire federal employees to work in all SSA offices to be navigators  or let navigators from local organizations use this office space.  ACA clients will need ongoing help making decisions about providers and claims problems which may be too much for third level contractors to handle. ACA customers will need to report when their income & assets change during the year.  SSA has lost 10% of staff in last 3 years. Due to attrition, each of these 1300 offices have 3 to 10 empty workstations that could be used in mornings & afternoons. That 's between 4,000 & 10,000 free workstations.  Having two shifts of white collar employees in each of the 1300 Social Security offices would allow us to serve navigators to use 10 to 30 workstations during the evenings to serve ACA customers. The navigators could also bring their own laptops.  SSA staff could still use those workstations during the day to serve SSA customers. When Medicare first started, SSA offices had to be open at night and on the weekends to get everyone enrolled. We must be successful in the roll-out of customer service for the Affordable Care Act. The only reason that the roll-out of Medicare was successful is that there was one place for citizens to go in each community to get help and sign up, their local Social Security office. In addition, ACA will have a larger customer base than Medicare. SAVINGS: SSA has office space for 5000 ppl times annual overhead cost of $24,000 each/year = $120 million/yr wasted if not used by #Obamacare navigators.  SSA has office space for over 25,000 available in evenings times $24,000/yr =another $600 million wasted if not used by #Obamacare navigators. Total savings if #Obamacare workers use space already paid for by Social Security Offices = $720million/yr times 10yrs= $7 BILLION. If federal government saves this much it would pay for a single payer plan.   The most important event in our generation that shows the need for good federal customer service is the roll-out of Obamacare on 10/1/13.  If we get it wrong it could be catastrophic and millions would miss out on the health insurance they need.  This affects too many people and it is too complex of a culture change to limit customer service to the internet and 800# call centers.    I would not buy a car or a house that way. Many citizens want or need face-to-face customer service.  The Social Security Administration serves millions by the internet and about 56 million by telephone.  However, they still had 45 million visitors that came in for face-to-face service.  Some individuals cannot verify their identity via the internet or communicate over the telephone.