Capitol Monitor ....
Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Fourth District of Virginia 

May 20, 2004

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In this Issue

1. Objects of Reform

2.  Covering the Uninsured

 

 

::  Point of View  ::

As legislators, and as citizens, there are many assumptions we make about teachers. This month on National Teacher Appreciation Day, I hosted over 50 educators from Virginia’s Fourth District in Washington DC. We spent the day touring the Capitol Building and listening to officials from the Department of Education discuss education reform. I shared my experience on the real-world legislative process in Washington, and they shared their experiences on the real-world educational process in their classrooms. Over lunch we discussed the assumptions and misconceptions many people have about teachers and about education in general and talked about what tools educators need to best serve our nation’s children.

First, there is the misconception that teachers are not professionals. This is far from the truth. All teachers are professionals. They are historians, economists, mathematicians, writers, scientists, and athletes. Not only are they specialists in their field, but everyday our educators double as counselors, therapists, and mediators. How many of us could competently teach a high school course in algebra, let alone teach that course to students dealing with issues such as drugs, poverty, abuse, or pregnancy?

When I talk to educators, they tell me their challenges range from combating violence in the hallways to figuring out who will be the cheerleading captain. Those of us who have had high-school-aged children can understand these myriad complex emotional and social challenges. In addition to their professional responsibilities in the classroom, however, teachers have responsibilities to their families and their communities as well. Many teachers work multiple jobs. Whether coaching, tutoring, studying for an advanced degree, or working in another field, rarely are the teachers I spoke to headed home right after the 3 o’clock bell. They are professionals in the most literal sense: they are experts in their field and they have devoted themselves to their occupation.

Second, our classrooms are changing. You've heard it before from your parents, and maybe now you're starting to say it to your own kids: "Things weren't like this when I was growing up." The truth is - they weren’t. Last week we heard more about gruesome gang violence in Northern Virginia, where rival gang members mutilated a 16-year-old’s hands in a machete attack. This week, the Washington Post reported that an assailant on a bicycle shot and killed a 17-year-old and wounded a 16-year-old Sunday night in another explosion of gang-related violence. Violence of this proportion has yet to reach schools in Virginia’s Fourth District, but is clearly an example of the changing nature of our classrooms. How do we teach students dealing with gang issues, drug problems, or domestic violence? 

Third, the educators I spoke with are concerned about education reform. We hear in Washington over and over that the only thing teachers do is complain about what’s wrong in schools, and that teachers need to take an active role in education reform. One of the most important conclusions I reached from the discussions with teachers is that to be successful in reforming education, teachers need to be partners in reform, rather than objects of reform. They are ready to do this. They recognize that, like any other industry, there are bad apples, but the teachers that I met - teaching in schools from the wealthiest to the poorest areas of Virginia’s Fourth District - were all committed professionals with an interest and a stake in creating accountable, safe, healthy schools where our children can learn.

Fourth and finally, our teachers need help - but not the help that many of us think. Over and over I heard from educators that, while they could use more funding, and while they could use more books and supplies, what they really needed is parental involvement. Ultimate accountability in our schools needs to end with parents, they said. Parents must demand student accountability. This personal responsibility of both parent and student is the foundation of civic responsibility and is ultimately a key component in building safe schools and strong communities. Our educators need parental involvement to provide a foundation for students that encourages learning and supports a child's physical, mental, and emotional development. 

Decades of research has shown that when parents are involved students have better school attendance and higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates. Parental involvement brings increased motivation and better self-esteem. Parents also make a significant difference in the entire school community. Studies show parental involvement causes lower rates of suspension, decreased use of drugs and alcohol and fewer instances of violent behavior. We all want these for our children.

I believe being an educator is the greatest community service of all. It is challenging and difficult, yet deeply rewarding. The education we provide our children helps shape the way they think and learn throughout their entire lives, truly molding America’s next generation of thinkers.

Teachers help students develop the skills they need for a lifetime of learning and a lifetime of possibility. There are few professions where you can see the impact of your work so vividly and there are few careers that have such a lasting effect on an entire generation and an entire nation. 

This month as we celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week, and as our teachers prepare for a long-awaited break from classes, I encourage you to thank teachers for their commitment to our children. Teaching is the greatest public service and we owe every teacher our admiration and appreciation. Most importantly, we owe them the tools they deserve, the involvement they need, and the respect they have earned.

:: Covering the Uninsured ::

In conjunction with Cover the Uninsured Week, the Joint Economic Committee has released a study on “The Complex Challenge of the Uninsured.” The report takes a look at who is uninsured, the reasons they may be insured and ways that health care can be made more affordable. The following are excerpts from this new study:

HOW MANY AMERICANS ARE UNINSURED?

The uninsured are constantly changing – and difficult to count. How the uninsured population changes over time is central to understanding whether people are uninsured for short or long periods.

In May 2003, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) combined estimates from several national surveys to analyze comprehensively the dynamic nature of the uninsured population. For 1998, the most recent year for reliable data across multiple studies, CBO found that:
 
 

• 21 to 31 million Americans were uninsured for the entire year;
• 39 to 42.6 million Americans were uninsured at any specific point in time in the year; and
• 56.8 to 59 million people were uninsured at some time during the year.

CBO also estimated that one-half to two-thirds of Americans who experienced a period without insurance had coverage during some point that year. Additionally, the CBO found that more than three-quarters of the individuals who were uninsured at some point during a three year period (ending June 1999) were uninsured for less than 12 months. Only 6% were uninsured for more than 24 months.

The uninsured thus include a large number of people who are uninsured for a relatively short time (e.g., less than a year), a smaller number of people who appear to be persistently uninsured (e.g., more than a year), and a much smaller number of people who appear to be chronically uninsured (e.g., more than two years).

WHO ARE THE UNINSURED?

The uninsured come from widely varying backgrounds and circumstances. It would be easier to address the challenge of the uninsured if there were members of society that were consistently and continuously uninsured. However, the uninsured are made up of people from nearly every demographic group (with the exception of seniors, who – because of Medicare – total less than 1% of the uninsured).

Of particular note is the fact that a significant number of the uninsured are employed and that a significant number have middle-class incomes. In 2002, for example:
 

• About 57% of the uninsured were full-time working individuals (18-64 years old).
• About two-thirds of the uninsured had incomes above $25,000.

Some demographic groups are more likely to be uninsured. For example:

• Young adults (age 18-24) are more likely to be uninsured, with an uninsured rate of almost 30%. The likelihood of being insured drops as one gets older. About 25% of people between 25 and 34 are not covered, falling to 18% between 35 and 44, and 13% between 45 and 65.

• Individuals with less education are more likely to be uninsured. People that did not complete high school or only received a high school diploma are five times more likely to be uninsured as someone with a bachelor’s degree or higher. The least educated are also most likely to have uninsured spells longer than 12 months.

WHY DO AMERICANS BECOME UNINSURED?

The utilization of health insurance is driven largely by employment and employer decisions. In recent years, more than 60% of Americans have received their health insurance through employer plans; changes in employment or employer coverage thus have a major impact on the number of uninsured. 

Third-party payment drives up costs. Comprehensive employer-sponsored insurance and government programs shield individuals and families from the true cost of health care. As a result, the current system of financing health care creates little incentive to control utilization and costs. As insurance becomes more expensive, some individuals are priced out of the market and employers drop coverage, thus increasing the ranks of the uninsured. Furthermore, as health spending and costs go up, it becomes more difficult as a society – and as taxpayers – to pay for the uninsured through public programs.

Regulations and mandates also make it more difficult to find affordable insurance. The health care sector is one of the most regulated sectors in the U.S. economy. Regulatory costs increase health expenditures by an estimated 6.4%, driving up health insurance premiums and reducing insurance coverage. One recent study estimates higher costs result in a 2.2% decrease in coverage – or almost 5 million uninsured who might otherwise be able to afford insurance coverage.

Small employers are less likely to offer insurance than large employers. Some small companies do not earn enough revenue to pay both health benefits and competitive wages. Moreover, most small businesses face higher benefit costs because they do not enjoy the economies of scale of their larger competitors. 

Employer-sponsored health insurance leaves people uninsured between jobs. A person’s homeowners and auto insurance coverage typically remain stable and portable regardless of job status, because the policies are purchased by the individual covered by them. Not so for most health insurance, which is typically purchased by employers for their employees. In fact, most changes in employer results in a change in health insurance plan. Many in the ranks of the uninsured are between periods of employer-sponsored insurance. In fact, 50% of the uninsured regain health insurance within four months. Few affordable options are available for short-term unemployed and uninsured workers.

The tax system also affects the affordability of health insurance by favoring employed individuals and those with higher incomes. Because the value of employer-sponsored health insurance is excluded from federal income and payroll taxes, its after-tax price is relatively less expensive than insurance purchased in the non-group market. Except for the self-employed, there is no comparable tax relief for individuals and families who must purchase insurance on their own. Those with employer-paid health benefits and large incomes receive the largest tax benefit. Because the amount of the benefit’s tax subsidy is based on marginal income tax rates plus payroll tax rates, the higher the income level, the higher the tax rate and the larger the value of the employee’s tax exclusion.

To read this report in full, including its conclusions, please visit:
http://jec.senate.gov

IN BRIEF ....

Over 1.1 Million Jobs Created in the Past 8 Months...

Payroll employment

ON THE HILL ....

Current Floor Proceedings

Bills Coming Up This Week

Monthly Whip Calendar

OFFICE LOCATIONS ....

307 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202.225.6365

505 INDEPENDENCE PKWY, SUITE 104
Chesapeake, VA 23322
757.382.0080

2903 Boulevard, Suite B
Colonial Heights, VA 23834
804.526.4969

425 H. South Main Street
Emporia, VA 23847
434.634.5575

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