PHOTO: Beth Boyd (American Red Cross) and Congressman Burgess preparing for the evacuees at Tarrant County Resource Connection
Column: Giving a Moment of Hope and a Future of Happiness
Office of Rep. Burgess Reunites a Mother and Child Separated by Hurricane Katrina
On the tumultuous Thursday night, during the first few days after Hurricane Katrina, a group of Louisiana evacuees stepped off the bus at the Tarrant County Resource Connection in Southeast Fort Worth where Congressman Michael C. Burgess has one of his district offices.
From the bus emerged a petite woman with eyes that were filled with hopelessness and desperation. Her name was LaShawn Traylor; she had given birth to a 2 lb. 11.4 oz baby boy on August 25th, just days ahead of the hurricane, at Tulane University Hospital in New Orleans. She had given birth via C-Section while on a respirator, but with difficulty and emotional strain, she stepped off the bus and walked into the unknown world of evacuees and the caregivers from the city, county and Congressman Burgess’ office.
For the rest of this compelling, emotional story, please click on the title of this article. For additional information concerning on-going relief efforts for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, please visit the following link: http://burgess.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=33416.
PHOTO: Congressman Burgess discusses emergency preparedness at Camp Copas in Denton.
Burgess Presents Freedom Flat Tax to House Ways & Means Subcommittee
Congressman Michael C. Burgess (TX-26) presented his Freedom Flat Tax Act (H.R. 1040) to the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. Rep. Burgess was one of seven Members who presented their proposals for tax reform to the Committee under the leadership of Chairman David Camp (R-MI).
Congressman Burgess spoke for five minutes about his H.R. 1040, the Freedom Flat Tax Act, explaining how the flat tax would conform to the principles for tax reform set forth by President George W. Bush - simplicity, fairness and pro-economic growth.
“Families need more money, but they also need more time" said Congressman Michael Burgess. “My bill will give them both.”
Burgess Set Medicaid Health Opportunity Legislation in Motion
Congressman Michael C. Burgess (TX-26) and Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-8) introduced the Medicaid Health Opportunity Act of 2005 which would help many of our most vulnerable Americans, including families whose resources were devastated by Hurricane Katrina, as they work to manage their health care needs with Health Opportunity Accounts (HOAs).
The Medicaid Health Opportunity Act of 2005 will give states the option to enroll Medicaid beneficiaries into flexible consumer based accounts. Health Opportunity Accounts will encourage use of preventative services and controlling spending that will create financial incentives for both beneficiaries and the taxpayer.
“Giving Medicaid beneficiaries more control over their care will not only improve their health in the long-run, but will also help shore up a floundering Medicaid program,” said Congressman Michael Burgess, one of the main sponsors of H.R. 3757. “Given the right incentives, Medicaid enrollees can make better use of their health care dollars to manage their care. Health Opportunity Accounts are just what states need return the focus on Medicaid on quality health outcomes, not the same bloated program that will become more and more of a burden for all involved.”
For more details on the Medicaid Health Opportunity Act of 2005, please click on the title of this article.
Column: U.S. Long Term Care Needs Better Strategy
Burgess introduces H.R. 3511, the Medicaid State Long term Care Partnership Act of 2005
There is a lot of talk and debate nowadays inside the Beltway on whether America is becoming more “red” or “blue.” While that may be an issue for the punditry to argue, it is undeniable that our country is becoming more “gray.” Most Americans have some experience with nursing homes or other long term care settings, and nearly half have had a family member or close friend in a home in the past three years. But even with this close familiarity to long term care, only a small minority of Americans are saving or preparing for this likely, future financial challenge. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly a third of all Americans have not thought about ways to pay for long term care and fifty percent say that planning to pay for it is too costly.
The disconnect between recognizing the need to plan for long term care and saving for it, is in part due to perceptions of the current system. It is a fact that long term care is expensive. The average cost of an annual stay in a long term care facility is around $70,000. It is nearly impossible for most families to pay this amount of money, and if a loved-one’s stay in a nursing home is in-line with the average three years, nursing home care can become extremely expensive. And because only a small minority of Americans have planned for this expense, the cost of this care usually falls on taxpayers who subsidize long term care through Medicaid to the tune of billions of dollars a year.
In a system where the cost of care is hidden by taxes levied on your income, property, and business activities, it is no wonder why so many Americans rely on Medicaid to pay their long term care.
The fact remains that most of us are anesthetized to the true cost and true value of long term care insurance. Those of us who can should consider the purchase of long term care insurance as the socially responsible thing to do. Providing this additional incentive to the purchase of long term care coverage may allow some of the burden to be shifted from the government to the private sector. This, while allowing great flexibility in coverage options, provides a win-win solution to what otherwise is a looming financial catastrophe.
For the complete column and more specifics on H.R. 3511, please click on the title of this article.
PHOTO: Congressman Burgess discusses health care issues in committee.
Burgess Discusses the Success of the Texas Medical Liability Trust
“Madam Speaker, just a little over 2 years ago Texas passed a constitutional amendment that allowed for caps on noneconomic damages in medical liability lawsuits. And what has been the experience in Texas over those 2 years?
Well, we have seen insurance and doctors come back to the State. Texas had gone from 17 down to 2 medical insurance companies, and now they are back up to 12. Not-for-profit hospitals have seen significant increases in the money that they are now able to invest in plants and equipment, money that otherwise would have gone for their self-insurance programs.
And perhaps most importantly, the rates of liability insurance for Texas doctors has come down. Texas Medical Liability Trust has reduced rates three times since the passage of House bill 4 and proposition 12, 12 percent in 2004, 5 percent in 2005, and now a recently announced 5 percent decrease in 2006, and, coupled with that, a 5 percent dividend rebate. So that now there is a total of 27 percent insurance savings for Texas doctors in medical liability.
Speaking to physicians of the Texas Medical Association just last weekend, Dr. Dennis Factor said, ‘Access to health care and the malpractice environment in Texas has made a healthy recovery since the Texas legislature passed medical liability reform.’
I urge this body to take it up and get it done.”
To watch the video, please click on the title of this article.
Multimedia Now Available
New “Multimedia” section available on the Congressional Website at http://burgess.house.gov/Multimedia. In this section, you’ll be able to choose from both audio and video files of Congressman Burgess discussing topics ranging concerning Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, the War on Terrorism and the confirmation of Chief Justice John G Roberts Jr. Recent local programs feature the Mark Davis Show and Ankarlo in the Mornings, as well as national programs Battle Line with Alan Nathan and BISNOW with Mark Bisnow.
Help with a Federal Agency
One of the most important things I do as your U.S. Representative is help residents of the 26th District of Texas gain access to a federal agency when their attempts have not been responded to. Although I cannot override the laws and regulations of a federal agency, I can ensure that constituents receive a response and the answers they need to their questions so they can cut through the red tape.
Below you will find a list of federal agencies that I can assist you with. If a Congressional Inquiry is made, the Privacy Act requires that I first have your written authorization before I can be of assistance. Should you have questions about the Request for Congressional Inquiry Form, do not hesitate to contact one of my offices:
(972) 434-9700 in Lewisville
(817) 531-8454 in Fort Worth
List of federal agencies includes:
