Public Policy: Hot Topics

Federal Health Care Reform

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce supports fiscally sustainable healthcare reform. We support access to affordable health care insurance for all residents in the US which includes primary care coverage, preventive healthcare services, appropriate specialty and catastrophic care, and incentives for individuals to practice healthy lifestyles.

We support controlling costs:

• Pay-for-performance reform… fair payment to providers to stop cost-shifting; Medicare payment reform- emphasizing payments for outcomes and addressing unjustifiable cost variations among geographic regions
• Medical liability reform… to prevent “defensive medicine” and frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits
• Effective integration and use of electronic medical records
• Comprehensive incentives for wellness and prevention, efficiency, quality, integration of healthcare services, and optimum use of technology
• Requiring accountability and transparency among health insurers
• Administrative simplification…-minimize regulatory and administrative burdens -simplification of billing process and creation of a system standardization to reduce overhead
• Tax parity: Let individuals/ business deduct the full cost of insurance expenses
• Eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse

We support insurance system reform:

• Eliminating the use of pre-existing conditions or health status as a barrier to health insurance
• Guaranteeing that policies will not be revoked
• Subsidies for those who cannot afford coverage, protecting the current level of care for children in North Carolina receiving Medicaid and North Carolina Health Choice for Children
• An individual obligation to obtain coverage
• Public and private partnerships with a shift to an emphasis towards obtaining highest efficiencies

We support a vibrant market place:

• Creating a health insurance exchange that connects consumers with insurance options…removing fragmentation
• Facilitate fair and competitive market prices, choice, and competition including market based alternatives such as pooling mechanisms
• Preparation and retention of more primary care physicians
  

Legislative Priorities Survey Results

Thank you for your participation in the Chamber’s 2009/2010 Legislative Issues Survey. This year we had 94 participants whose insight will help us shape our legislative priorities, agenda, and actions for the coming year. Please view the survey results here.

Key Themes from Open Ended Question Answers:

Chamber Makes I-26 Connector Recommendation

After extensive research, input and consideration of the four designs as presented in the 2008 NCDOT plans and three dimensional simulation models, the Board of Directors of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce recommends the selection of Alternative 3 for Section B in the NCDOT I-26 Connector project. Alternative 3 meets the requirements of the Chamber criteria concerning quality of life, economic prosperity, protection of the environment, safety of visitors and local citizens, and the beauty of the Asheville community.

Read Board Resolution (PDF)

Learn more about the Chamber I-26 Connector Recommendation!