[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 22, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1521-E1522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         IN SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 22, 2008

  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to submit for the Record a 
letter from several health organizations supporting the Public Health 
Emergency Response Act of 2008, which I introduced earlier today.

                                                    July 22, 2008.
     Hon. Richard Durbin,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Lois Capps,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Durbin and Representative Capps: The 
     undersigned organizations join in supporting your 
     introduction of the Public Health Emergency Response Act 
     (PHERA), legislation that would put a turn-key process into 
     place which would ensure that victims of a public health 
     emergency have immediate access to medically necessary 
     healthcare services and help ensure that we have a 
     functioning health care system.
       A public health emergency, such as a natural disaster, 
     biologic attack or infectious disease outbreak, could strike 
     at any time. The September 11th attacks and Hurricanes 
     Katrina and Rita have underscored the need for rapid access 
     to healthcare services during and immediately following a 
     public health emergency. Following Hurricane Katrina, 
     Congress ultimately approved $2.1 billion for grants to 
     certain states to cover the Medicaid and SCHIP matching 
     requirements for individuals enrolled in these programs, and 
     the cost of uncompensated care for the uninsured. However, it 
     took six months for Congress to pass the Deficit Reduction 
     Act, which provided for these funds. This unnecessary delay 
     could have been prevented. PHERA would put into place ahead 
     of time a framework for providing reimbursement for 
     uncompensated care in the event of a major public health 
     emergency.
       The temporary benefit established through this bill would 
     help remove a disincentive for uninsured individuals to 
     promptly seek medical care. Any delay in seeking care could 
     result in lives lost, particularly during an infectious 
     disease outbreak when immediate identification and isolation 
     are very important, and delay in seeking care could render 
     treatment ineffective. At a time when our health care system 
     could be overwhelmed with patients, it is vital that 
     reimbursement issues not dissuade providers from offering 
     care. A study by the Center for Biosecurity estimated that 
     U.S. hospitals could lose as much as $3.9 billion in 
     uncompensated care and cash flow losses in the event of a 
     severe pandemic. By helping to reduce the burden of 
     uncompensated care, PHERA would help ensure the solvency and 
     continuity and our

[[Page E1522]]

     health care system during a catastrophic emergency.
       Specifically, PHERA would provide a temporary emergency 
     health benefit for uninsured individuals and individuals 
     whose health insurance coverage is not actuarially equivalent 
     to benchmark coverage, in the event that the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services (HHS) declares that a public health 
     emergency exists and chooses to activate the benefit. It 
     would clarify who is eligible for this benefit, including 
     individuals displaced by a public health emergency, limit the 
     amount of time for which the benefit would last, and 
     stipulate what providers would be covered under this Act. It 
     would not use Medicare, Medicaid or SCHIP funding. The 
     funding mechanism would be the Public Health Emergency Fund, 
     a no-year fund available to the Secretary. The bill 
     authorizes funding for the administration of the fund, 
     together with a public education campaign on the availability 
     of the benefit, but further funding would not be necessary 
     until Congress appropriated funds in the event of a declared 
     public health emergency.
       Past experiences have shown that Congress will step in to 
     help defray the costs of uncompensated care resulting from a 
     catastrophic emergency. Determining the scope of such 
     coverage ahead of time will help ensure the solvency of our 
     health care system and help eliminate a disincentive for 
     individuals to promptly seek care. PHERA would help ensure 
     that when tragedy strikes, time and lives are not lost as 
     Congress debates a course of action. It would create the 
     turn-key process ahead of time, thereby allowing for timely 
     care to individuals affected by a crisis.
       We appreciate your leadership in introducing this 
     legislation and look forward to working with you on this and 
     other public health initiatives in the future.
           Sincerely,
       American Red Cross.
     Center for Biosecurity,
       University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
       Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
       Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists.
       Infectious Diseases Society of America.
       National Association of Community Health Centers.
       Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
       Trust for America's Health.

                          ____________________