‘Health care in America’ forum set for Sept. 10

A panel of national and local healthcare experts are coming together at the Washington Township Park Pavilion Center, 435 Whipple Ln., Avon, on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. for an informative program about health care in America.

Everyone is invited and there is no cost to attend.

Hoosiers young and old are scared and concerned about having access to the medical care they, their parents, grandparents and children might need. For many, whether or not they can get appropriate health care could become a life-or-death situation, or one that hurls them into financial ruin.

As reported by CNBC earlier this year, a recent academic study found that an estimated 530,000 families turn to bankruptcy ever year due to medical-related issues and bills. In fact, results of the study stated that 66.5 percent of all bankruptcies were related to medical issues.

Therefore, health care is one of the primary concerns for voters in the coming elections on both the state and federal levels. Candidates are proposing and supporting a variety of plans to address the needs of Americans, but understanding what is being proposed and how the plans will work and be paid for is complex and confusing. Voters and Indiana residents need help.

It is the purpose of the “Health care in America” forum to create a common language, and a general understanding of the different plans including single-payer, public option or buy-in and Medicare for All.

The forum panel is slated to include professionals and experts in a diverse cross section of areas of the medical industry. Panelists will define terms being used about proposed health care plans, explain what is included in proposed plans, how the programs will work and how the costs will be addressed. Attendees will have the opportunity to identify the concerns they have.

Panelists will include Dr. Ed Weisbart, chairman of the Missouri chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP); Beth DeHoff, a certified health care navigator working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Riley Hospital for Children and a member of the Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities; Michele Trivedi, manager at the Insurance Advocacy Resource Center; and Liesel Polizzi, a local licensed clinical psychologist (LCP) who has extensive knowledge working with children, adults and families navigating traumatic experiences within both the Medicare and private insurance systems.

Joseph Mackey, a pediatric health care activist and advocate, will also be a panelist to share his personal experience and knowledge. He thought he had a great health insurance plan, until tragedy struck his family not just once, but twice in three years. He and his wife started the Claire E. and Patrick G. Mackey Children’s Cancer Foundation.

The Hendricks County Democratic Boosters are hosting this forum as the first in the program series called Boost the Conversation. Programs are designed to inform the public and help citizens understand language and terms about health care plans, the process of voting and elections and other topics of primary interest.

The Hendricks County Democratic Boosters were established to promote inclusion of people from diverse backgrounds working together towards mutually desired goals. An emphasis is on growing democratic values on issues of importance to Hoosiers such as the environment, health care, education and more in the communities served through meaningful action and programs.

For more information, go to HCDemBoosters.org or contact through email at info@hcdemboosters.org.