Streck, Kjolhede, Smith Named
Delgado Appoints 3
From Otsego County
To Healthcare Panel
Congressman Antonio Delgado, D-19th, included three Otsego County representatives to a 19th Congressional District Health Care Advisory Committee he announced yesterday to advise him on “skyrocketing costs of healthcare and on healthcare legislation before the House.”
They are Bassett Healthcare Network President Bill Streck, Dr. Chris Kjolhede, director of Bassett’s School-Based Health Center Program, and Sue Smith, Otsego County Health Department deputy director.
“I look forward to hearing firsthand about community members’ experiences with the marketplace, accessing coverage, or paying for medication and I will take these ideas back to Washington,” said Delgado in announcing the advisory group.
He singled out the high cost of prescription drugs and Medicare-X Choice Act, an option he has co-sponsored to look at ways to lower costs through competition.
Last month, Rep. Delgado led House introduction of H.R. 2000, Medicare-X Choice Act public option legislation that would combine Medicare physician networks and reimbursement rates with Affordable Care Act coverage standards to create a new, public health insurance option available to all Americans. Delgado also joined his colleagues in voting to pass two bipartisan bills this week to reduce the price of prescription drugs by removing barriers to generic versions of brand-name drugs coming to market, H.R 1503 and H.R. 1520.
THIS IS WONDERFUL, BUT HOW ABOUT APPOINTING A LAY PERSON WHO DEALS WITH REALITY! SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW THE HIGH COST OF CARE, PREMIUMS OR DRUGS ARE. IT’S A STRUGGLE FOR MANY OF US.