September '10 Nevada Government—U.S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley Column

Nevada Employers Tap New Federal Program To Help Cover Cost Of Retiree Health Care

Henderson, State of Nevada, Metro Police, Las Vegas Firefighters, City of Reno, Numerous Unions All Part of Affordable Care Act Program

August 31, 2010 – Las Vegas, NV – Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today released a list of Nevada employers that have been accepted in the federal Early Retiree Reinsurance Program. Created under The Affordable Care Act, The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program provides $5 billion in financial assistance to employers and unions to help them maintain coverage for early retirees age 55 and older who are not yet eligible for Medicare.

“The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program is helping Nevada employers address the cost of maintaining health coverage for early retirees who are 55 and older, but not yet eligible for Medicare benefits. The cost to insure these Americans is higher than the cost of covering younger employees and that has resulted in the loss of affordable insurance for many retired men and women and their families,” said Berkley.

The percentage of large firms providing workers with retiree health coverage has dropped from 66 percent in 1988 to 29 percent in 2009. Health insurance premiums for older Americans are over four times more expensive than they are for young adults and the deductible these enrollees pay is, on average, almost four times that for a typical employer-sponsored insurance plan.

“Less than one-third of large firms now provide retired workers with health coverage and without this program created under The Affordable Care Act, more and more retirees in Nevada and nationwide would see their access to health benefits eliminated,” said Berkley. “Once a business, government or union is accepted into the program, they are eligible to receive reimbursements for medical care provided to early retirees, spouses and dependents. Henderson, the State of Nevada, NV Energy, Metro Police, City of Las Vegas Firefighters, Washoe County, and multiple unions in the Silver State have all been accepted for participation in this vital program that will help prevent an increase in the number of Nevadans who are uninsured and that provides peace of mind for retirees.”

Businesses, other employers, and unions that are accepted into the program will receive reimbursement for medical claims for early retirees and their spouses, surviving spouses, and dependents. Savings can be used to reduce employer health care costs, provide premium relief to workers and families, or both. Applicants who are approved into the program receive reinsurance for the claims of high-cost retirees and their families (80 percent of the costs from $15,000 to $90,000). Starting in September, approved applicants can begin submitting claims dating back to June 1, 2010 and, starting in October, approved applicants will begin to receive reinsurance payments on those claims. This policy allows more health benefit claims to qualify for reinsurance payments for plans this year.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has approved the following sponsors from Nevada:

Board of Trustees IBEW Local 640

Cement Masons and Plasterers Health and Welfare Plan

City of Henderson

Las Vegas Firefighters Health and Welfare Trust 1285 Local

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Employees Health & Welfare Trust

NV Energy, Inc.

Plumbers and Pipefitters Union Local 525 Health and Welfare Trust

School Administrators Welfare Trust

Southwest Gas Corporation

State of Nevada Self Funded Plan

Teamsters Local 631 Security Plan for Southern Nevada

Teamsters Security Fund for Southern Nevada

Washoe County

Washoe County School District

Berkley Provision In Honor Of Nevadan Justin Bailey Funds Mental Health Research To Help Veterans Battle Substance Abuse

*** $6 Million in Research Funding Will Address Mental Health Needs of Iraqi, Afghanistan War Veterans in Nevada & Nationwide ***

August 27, 2010 – Las Vegas, NV – Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today applauded $6 million in grant funding for research into the links between substance abuse and combat-related trauma. The funding has been awarded to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which will work in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study and improve treatment options for veterans.

“We have seen the results of combat trauma among veterans who develop substance abuse issues following a military deployment and this grant funding will allow VA and NIH to study this connection. Those who served in America’s armed forces are entitled to a full range of treatment through the VA and that includes mental health assistance for veterans in need of help with alcohol, drugs or other forms of substance abuse. Funding for this grant is a result of provisions I authored following the tragic death of Lance Corporal Justin Bailey, an Iraq war veteran from Nevada who died from a prescription drug overdose while under VA care. This is an issue that continues to impact veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their families. The research funded through this grant will help VA provide more effective mental health services for those battling substance abuse and that will help save lives,” said Berkley.

Berkley authored provisions in honor of Marine Lance Corporal Justin Bailey that were incorporated into a law passed in 2008, which enhances the availability of substance abuse treatment and mental health services at VA facilities nationwide. Bailey, who was diagnosed with PTSD following his return from active duty, sought substance abuse treatment through the VA. The 27-year-old veteran died of a prescription drug overdose from medicines he was given while in the care of the VA clinic in Los Angeles, California.

Research funded by the grant will look at treatment seeking patterns -- why and when veterans ask for help, and why many don’t. Scientists will also explore treatment strategies, including cognitive behavioral therapy and Web-based approaches, as well as the most effective therapies for soldiers who have other disorders, such as depression and substance abuse. Researchers will also determine if early intervention can improve outcomes. Other projects will focus on how veterans readjust to their work and families after returning from war.

NIH agencies taking part in the initiative are the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the National Cancer Institute. Institutions receiving the grants include Brandeis University; Dartmouth College; the Medical University of South Carolina; the National Development and Research Institutes in New York City; the University of California, San Francisco; the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; the University of Missouri in Columbia; and the VA medical centers in West Haven, Conn.; Philadelphia; Little Rock, Ark.; and Seattle.