Introduction to the new health laws! A PPT for audiences that have average literacy (7-8th grade reading level). Actually, I showed it to a group of people with post-grad education, and they liked it. You will too. Please customize it freely and use your name if you want to present it to others. You're welcome to give me constructive feedback so I can continue to evolve it.

1. Note about this presentation
Joel Weddington MD
This PPT follows Enroll America’s directions on how to reach audiences that have average literacy, or 8 th grade
reading level. It also follows many framing principles of Herndon Alliance, and observes important research from
the RWJF. I presented (20-25 min) to one dozen people with known average literacy, or slightly above or below,
(my assessment of family and friends), and had positive reactions but rare questions. Nobody complained, fell
asleep, or left. A second group of 25 people (including some friends), many having post-grad degrees, doctor,
lawyer, PhD and Masters, had many questions, some beyond the scope of the presentation. I was able to answer
them on their level, and had resources tabled for those who might want more. There were several unsolicited
positive comments (30 minutes). No one appeared distracted or inattentive. I will continue to monitor general
audience reaction to this PPT. My sample size is too small for meaningful surveys, however I will participate in a
larger scale study if it is set up. Important resources:
Enroll_America_BuildingBlocks_11 RWJF-HCconsumersFEES
www.enrollamerica.org www.rwjf.org
www.herndonalliance.org
Research shows that poor framing of health care reform risks making audiences
apathetic, uncomfortable, and intimidated. Worse, it may repel them.
My co-speaker presented 45 minutes of wordy and detailed ACA slides to the educated group. However, in
my opinion she is equivalent to a professional speaker, and kept the audience captivated despite the slides.
Any comments about this PPT are appreciated, as I will continue to refine it and use it as a template for
more specific audiences. Also “Thinking Points” by Lakoff is a decent manual for message framing. I can
send these as email attachments for those interested.

2. Time 1 Introduction to the new health law
Joel Weddington, M.D.
Doctors For America
Time 2 Presentation title
Speaker
Organization or title
Time 3 Presentation title
Speaker
Organization or title
Time 4 Q&A
If you would like to receive further information please give us your email address.
Redwood City, 1/28/2012 www.coalitionfor2014.org

3. Presents
America’s
New Health Plan

4. Health Care Town Hall Speakers
Additional speaker logo here

5. Health Care Advocate
Partners
patientslikeme

6. Joel Weddington, MD
California State Director
joel.weddington@drsforamerica.org

7. We have a New Mission for 2012:
Educating One Million Americans about the
Affordable Care Act!

8. We met with President Obama
at the White House.
This is Dr. Murthy, one
of our co-founders, and
a few of our many other
members.

9. The President signed the bill for the
Affordable Care Act In March, 2010
Now it’s time for everyone to learn
about the new benefits and
How to Enroll

10. America’s new health care
plan is called
The Affordable Care Act
Because it will make it possible for 32
million more people to get health care
and see their doctors!

11. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS
The Affordable Care Act puts in place comprehensive
health insurance reforms that will hold insurance
companies accountable, lower costs, guarantee choice,
and enhance quality health care for all Americans.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/timeline

12. NO MORE INSURANCE DENIALS WITH
MEDICAL CONDITIONS IN CHILDREN
Taylor was a six year old girl who had
surgery for a bad kidney.
Her insurance plan would only cover half
the cost.
Then it became so expensive her parents
had to drop it. She couldn’t afford to see
the doctor.
When she was 13, her kidney was so damaged it had to
be removed.
The Affordable Care Act forces the insurance to pay for
her care, and now she can see her doctor.
Taylor’s doctor is a member of Doctors For America (Nguyen)

13. KELLY WAITED 16 HOURS TO GET
HER BROKEN ARM FIXED
The local hospital wouldn’t take
Medi-Cal so Kelly was
transferred to the county
hospital.
The entire process took 16
hours before she could get her
broken arm fixed.
How will the ACA help her now?
Kelly’s doctor is a member of Doctors For America (Weddington)

14. A young lady with appendicitis
A 23 year old woman developed abdominal pain
so her father referred her to a doctor.
A surgeon had to take her appendix out, but
everything went well. She went home the next day.
This young lady’s physician is a member of Doctors For America (Nguyen)

15. Here are the costs for her medical care
after the insurance payments!
Service Charges Payments Amount Due
Hospital bill $11,800 $1,500 -$10,300
Surgeon $3,600 $1,800 -$1,800
Anesthestist $1,800 $900 -$900
Pathologist $350 $120 -$230
Radiologist $120 $60 -$60
ECG reading $75 $30 -$45
Total $17,745 $4,210 -$13,335

16. SO HOW IS THE ACA
GOING TO FIX THIS?
Subsidies or credits for low & mid income
families will limit costs, and…
There will be a cap on out-of-pocket costs, so
no one goes into major debt or bankruptcy,
and….

17. What about kids who turn 19 and get kicked off their
parent’s health insurance?
ACA: children stay on parents’ plan to age 26
2.5 MILLION young adults have already been signed up
for this new program.
That’s more people than in many large cities

18. We figured out it cost $2.5 Trillion for
health care in the U.S. last year
Calculators don’t even have that many
zeros!

19. How are we going to pay for
all this new health care?
By following a plan that’s fair to everybody.
Here’s a few ways:
 We’re going to make insurance companies compete against
each other. They will have to lower prices to attract customers.
 We are going to catch people who commit fraud and cheat
the system. This will save billions and billions of dollars.
 We will use preventive care so people don’t get so sick.
Then they won’t need such expensive treatments.
 People with high incomes will pay more for Medicare.
We can actually save money in the long run

20. WHAT’S HAPPENING TO OUR
SENIOR CITIZENS ON MEDICARE?
Many people on Medicare have to skip or ration their
medications, because they’re so expensive.
With the Affordable Care Act help is on the way. Seniors are
getting a $250 rebate and a 50% discount to afford
prescription drugs, and it’s going to get even better over the
next few years.
Members of Doctors For America provide care for thousands of seniors.

21. What’s the deal with Medicare Part D
and the “Doughnut Hole”?
Over the next few
years the ACA is
going to close that
Doughnut Hole!

22. DO YOU KNOW THAT SENIORS ON
MEDICARE CAN GET FREE CHECKUPS?
That’s one free wellness visit every year.
This is the time to sit with your doctor and ask questions
about your medical problems.
You will get guidance and ways to seek better health.
Some Doctors For America members are seniors too.

23. MORE BENEFITS FOR SENIORS COMING
FROM THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
Further preventive
care will be
provided, such as
mammograms
and cancer
screening with no
additional costs
Protect the ACA! Politicians who are trying to repeal it
will take away these benefits
Some Doctors For America members are seniors too.

24. The ACA and Women
More security for your family:
 Working families cannot be denied coverage due to a
pre-existing condition
 Cannot lose their coverage or be forced into
bankruptcy when someone gets sick.

25. The ACA and Women
 Insurers can’t charge women more than men for the
same coverage
 Birth control and contraceptives provided at no cost
Coverage for maternity care
will be required.

26. My job covers my medical insurance
 More and more, employees are finding they cannot
afford the insurance their employer offers.
 Skimpy coverage - the employee goes broke when
they get a serious injury or illness.

27. The largest private employer in the U.S. is
cutting health care benefits by 50%.
This will affect over 1 million employees
Walmartization

28. My job doesn’t give me any
good medical benefits
In the ACA, employers
who don’t offer health
benefits and make
employees receive public
funds or Medicaid, will
pay a penalty.
This should help ensure
those employers do not
take advantage of
American taxpayers.

29. WHY CANT WE GET ALL OUR BENEFITS NOW?
BUT INSURANCE PLANS AND DRUG MANUFACTURERS
AREN’T HELPING! THEY ARE MAKING UNFAIR
PROFITS.

30. How 38 Million Californians
Get Coverage Now
• Employer-Based Coverage
Around Half, 18-19 Million
• Public Programs: About a Third (10-11 million)
Medicare: 4 million
Medi-Cal: 7.7 million
• Healthy Families: Nearly 1 million
• Individual Insurance Market
About 5% (around 2 million)
• Uninsured: Around 7 million

31. However, it’s not a done deal.
We’ve just lost our “CLASS ACT”
Community living assistance services and support.
This was for seniors to receive assistance to help them live alone at home.
Class was just dismissed –
An entire title of the ACA is gone

32. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SUPPORT THE NEW
HEALTH PLAN
WWW.HEALTHCARE.GOV
WILL YOU HELP US SHARE THE
NEWS ABOUT THE ACA?

33.  2010  Additional Funding for CHIP.
 Prohibits Insurance from Dropping Coverage  2014
 Children with pre‐existing conditions get  Most individuals are required to get health
coverage. insurance Establish State‐based health
 Dependent children must get coverage up to insurance exchanges
age 26.  Premium tax credits become available for some
 No limits on benefits because of customers'  Insurance plans can’t exclude pre‐existing
illness. conditions.
 Medicare part D doughnut hole will begin to  Employers who opt not to provide coverage will
close. pay an annual fee of $2,000 for each full‐time
employee.
 2011
 Brand‐name drugs in the Medicare Part D  2015
coverage gap are discounted by 50 percent.  Paying Physicians Based on Value Not Volume
 Medicare Advantage payments frozen at 2010  Electronic systems for processing claims,
level. payments
 Medicare free annual wellness visits start.  2017
 CLASS Act  State insurance exchanges ok for large
 2012 employers
 Linking Payment to Quality Outcomes.  2018
 Encouraging Integrated Health Systems- ACOs  40% excise tax on high‐cost health plans.
 .A phased‐in reduction of Medicare Advantage
payments relative to current levels begins.
 2019
 32 M more Americans are supposed to be
 2013 insured
 Improving Preventive Health Coverage.
 2020
 Increasing Medicaid Payments for PCPs.
 The discount on brand‐name drugs for Medicare
 Expanded Authority to Bundle Payments. recipients rises, closing the "doughnut hole."

34. Joel Weddington, MD
California State Director
joel.weddington@drsforamerica.org

35. End of ACA presentation for low to
average literacy audience. Customize to
fit speakers, location, partners, patient
examples. Consider handouts and
speaking as ways to reach additional
groups.
Joel Weddington MD
joelwedd@yahoo.com
415-314-0490