Because Virginia’s annual legislative sessions are short, alternating between 45 and 60 days, we rely on a number of committees and commissions that meet in the interim to tackle the complex issues facing the Commonwealth.  With the legislative session rapidly approaching, my work on these commissions is wrapping up, and we are making our recommendations to the General Assembly. I hope you will take a look at some of the work we have done.

In This Issue  

• Rapid Transit  
• Health Insurance  
• Joint Commission on Health Care  
• Immigration Commission  
• Joint Subcommittee on a Regional Rapid Transportation Network

Bus Rapid Transit

The Joint Subcommittee on a Regional Rapid Transportation Network, which I have been elected to chair, is charged with exploring improvements to rapid transportation options and to integration of the various transit systems that exist in greater Northern Virginia, extending from the District of Columbia out through the Fredericksburg, Culpeper, and Winchester areas.
 
Northern Virginians have demonstrated that when transit is convenient and fast, we will use it. Local transit ridership has been increasing steadily for many years. With gas prices skyrocketing, transit use rose very rapidly this year. Once these additional people got comfortable with transit, they found it worked for them, and there has not been a decrease in transit use this fall even though gas prices have plummeted. Many others, however, do not have reasonable transit options for commuting or other major trips. It is vital, therefore, that we enhance transit service in Northern Virginia and improve coordination among the many transit systems.
 
Most Northern Virginians have some familiarity with Metro and Virginia Railway Express (VRE). Less well known are the numerous bus systems that operate throughout the region. In addition to some Metrobus service, nearly every city and county has its own bus service. Some buses operate just within a city or county, not always meeting the needs of residents who may need to get to a job or other place a short distance outside that jurisdiction. Other buses, particularly commuter buses, travel outside the local county to specific locations, with Omni buses from Prince William going to locations such as the Franconia-Springfield Metro station, the District of Columbia, the Pentagon, Tysons Corner, or Old Town Alexandria. Those buses are variations of what is known as bus rapid transit, or BRT.
 
The Rapid Transit Action Committee and the Breakthrough Technologies Institute gave the subcommittee a presentation about the potential for an expanded Regional Rapid Bus Network serving Northern Virginia.  Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, has many positive features. It can avoid some traffic congestion. It runs with higher frequency and reliability than traditional bus systems, which will encourage ridership. It also offers riders access to new technologies such as Wifi and Real-time passenger information systems. An appealing feature of this option is that short-term, low cost developments can be quickly implemented that are flexible and lay the groundwork for larger, more comprehensive projects down the road.
 
We also have looked at other options, including Metro extensions into Prince William and other jurisdictions, and VRE enhancement. I am confident that this subcommittee will offer valuable insights to the General Assembly regarding innovative transportation solutions. The final meeting of this subcommittee will be held on December 18th in Woodbridge.  If you are interested in attending this meeting or would like more information, please contact my office.

 
Health Insurance: Small Business Commission and Mandated Benefits Commission

Two commissions on which I serve are the Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits and the Small Business Commission. These two commissions are struggling with the same issues: how to get more people insured, how to make the insurance work for families and individuals, and how to keep it affordable.
 
At the request of the business community, the Small Business Commission has focused solely on health insurance this year. Small and medium-sized businesses have indicated that they want to provide health insurance coverage for their employees but often have difficulty doing so because of the costs. The number of such Virginia businesses providing health insurance coverage has dropped in recent years from 67 percent to 59 percent. We are considering some proposals that may help but will not fully resolve these issues.
 
One of the issues that has gained widespread attention recently is the extent to which health insurance policies should be required to cover specific services and treatments. Virginia now requires general insurance to cover many such things. Some argue that these mandates drive up costs, making health insurance coverage unaffordable for some businesses and individuals. In addition, because of restrictions in Federal law and that fact that many Virginians do not have private health insurance, such mandates affect only a third or less of all who need services. At the same time, many of the mandates now are services that likely would be demanded by businesses and individuals even if not required. In some instances, mandates can help make coverage of needed services standard. By standardizing benefits, it also can get around the problem of “adverse selection.” “Adverse selection” occurs when businesses and insurance companies avoid offering coverage for treatments not commonly covered because they fear that doing so would provide those requiring the treatment an incentive to get the plan with that coverage, disproportionately driving up the cost for those companies.
 
The Mandated Benefits Commission this year considered four categories of expanded benefits, recommending only one of the four. The Commission supported adding a mandate for autism treatments. In our first meeting of the Mandated Benefits Commission, we heard testimony from Delegate Marshall and Delegate Poisson, patrons of a bill that would require such coverage, and from medical professionals who treat autistic children. Many parents of children with autism also spoke about the extreme financial burden of obtaining the care they need for their children. While schools, Early Intervention, and Medicaid’s developmental delay waiver program provide some services for autistic children, there is still a considerable gap between what is provided and what some of these children require. Some states require health insurance to help bridge this gap.
 
I strongly believe that we need to develop a comprehensive approach to insure that all children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders receive the care they need. It is critical that the care be started early, often by age 2 or 3, and that the services be comprehensive in order for the children to maximize their potential. There are still important concerns that need to be addressed regarding this legislation and this issue, and I will continue to work with Delegate Marshall and others to develop consensus on how we can meet the needs of all Virginia children and families affected by autism spectrum disorders.  
Joint Commission on Health Care
 
Last week the Joint Commission on Health Care voted on a number of policy options that had been discussed at prior meetings. Because of the thorough research that staff conducts, and the Commission’s bipartisan and thoughtful approach to the significant health care issues the Commonwealth is facing, the General Assembly typically takes the JCHC recommendations seriously and implements many of its recommendations. Mindful of Virginia’s severe budget shortfall, the JCHC considered policy options that would not have budget implications in the upcoming fiscal year. The Commission voted to recommend the following:

• Introduce legislation to address the hosting of underage drinking parties.
• Request by letter of the JCHC Chairman that the Secretary of Health and Human Resources ensure the development of a comprehensive plan for the delivery of behavioral health care services for children, adolescents and their families prior to the 2010 General Assembly Session. The letter would include the request for the plan to be submitted to the Joint Commission by October 1, 2009.
• Strive to increase awareness of Section 125 plans, which enable employees to purchase health insurance policies with pretax dollars, through the following actions:
  • Request by letter of the JCHC Chairman that the Department of Human Resources Management in consultation with the Department of Business Assistance (VDBA) create detailed electronic document highlighting Section 125 benefits; requirements for adoption; COBRA, ERISA, and HIPPA implications; and a simple Section 125 Plan form to post on the VDBA website and on Virginia’s business portal website.
  • Request by letter of the JCHC Chairman that the Virginia Chamber of Commerce inform its membership of Section 125 Plans and associated benefits through its newsletter.
  • Request by letter of the JCHC Chairman that the National Federation of Independent Businesses/Virginia include information on Section 125 Plans as part of the Federation’s Area Action Council meetings with small businesses.
  • Include in the 2009 workplan that the Joint Commission convene a workgroup to compile information needed for an informational website on health insurers to be hosted by Virginia Health Information (VHI) with appropriate linkages on other state websites and address other health insurance issues as appropriate.
• Seek to address critical shortages of health care professionals through the following actions:
  • Request by letter of the JCHC Chairman that the Virginia Board of Medicine save an electronic archive copy of the Doctor’s Profile Database annually.
  • Authorize JCHC staff to conduct joint research with VCOM’s National Center for the Analysis of Healthcare Data in completing the workforce pipeline study (to be reported to JCHC by November 2009).
• Continue study for one additional year to research options for improving “aging at home” services and support for culture change initiatives in Virginia.
• Restore funding for Virginia Caregivers Grant when budget allows.
• Assist local Chambers of Commerce in educating Virginia business owners about caregiver workforce issues and encourage owners to provide caregiver support programs.

I plan to continue to advocate for these and other health related issues during the upcoming legislative session. I look forward to continuing my work on this Commission next year.
 
Governor’s Commission on Immigration
 
As a member of the Governor’s Commission on Immigration, I had the opportunity to hear about how immigration affects the Commonwealth of Virginia from a wide range of perspectives. The Commission’s membership was bicameral and bipartisan, and also included a number of citizen members. Throughout my service on the Commission, I weighed how the Commission’s recommendations would affect individuals and the Commonwealth as a whole. We considered policy options that dealt with the effects of immigration in the areas of employment, health care, and education. We also examined issues surrounding the transition of immigrants into society and the collection of data relating to immigration. The following are some of the recommendations we made to the General Assembly:

• Pass resolutions encouraging the Federal government to
  • Require the Department of Labor to be more responsive to reported SSN discrepancies
  • Increase the number of specific Visas allotted each year in order to help fill shortages in certain occupations.
• Support the use of E-Verify, an online system that allows employers to check the work status of new hires, when it is fully functional and properly funded.
• Remove 40 quarters of employment or connection to military requirements for qualifying Legal Permanent Residents to obtain Medicaid after the five year ban period. There are currently only nine states, including Virginia, that require Legal Permanent Residents to work for 10 years before receiving Medicaid benefits. Adopting this proposal would result in a cost savings to the state, because currently medical costs of these individuals are paid for out of the indigent care fund, which is funded entirely by the State. Under this plan, Medicaid, half of which is funded by the federal government, would pick up these costs.
• Provide additional funding for free clinics and closer partnerships between hospitals and free clinics to divert individuals who are going to emergency departments for non-emergent care.
• Partner with private ESL providers to make English classes more available.
• Require public schools to indicate to the postal service not to forward mailed items, thus preventing false residency claims.
• Offer in-state tuition to students who meet specific requirements that have been vetted by the Attorney General’s Office
• Create an Office of Immigrant Assistance Services within the Department of Social Services to provide assistance to immigrants in obtaining proper documentation.
• Improve data collection by the Department of Corrections regarding country of birth and citizenship of inmates.

As always, I value your input and suggestions, and my staff and I are eager to work with you to address any issues you may have. It is a pleasure representing you, and I hope that you will bring your concerns to my attention throughout the year. Please contact me at 703-303-1426 or senatorbarker@gmail.com. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

George Barker
Senator, 39th District
 
Please contact me, I want to hear from you! My staff and I will do everything we can to help you with problems you may have.  
 
senatorbarker@gmail.com
703-303-1426
PO Box 10527
Alexandria, VA 22310
www.senatorbarker.com