Health Care - What Will The New Bill Mean To You?

The Healthcare bill passed by the US Senate on Christmas Eve will not be finalized until the modified plan is passed in the US House again. While most expect there will be some minor changes there are some basic elements that should stay firm.

Here are some of the key questions and answers if it become law:

For consumers:

Q: Would the law force me to buy health insurance?

A: Yes, for most people. Of course, if you already have insurance from your job or are on Medicare, that won’t be a problem for you. Others might have to turn to newly created “exchanges” to buy coverage.

Q: What if I refuse?

A: You’d face a fine. It would start at $95 a year in 2014 and rise to $750 a year by 2016, or as much as 2% of your income, capped at the value of a basic insurance plan.

Q: What if I can’t afford coverage?

A: You’re likely to qualify for subsidies. The new consumer insurance subsidies would mean that a family of four earning about $22,000 a year would pay no more than 2% of its income toward insurance premiums. That assistance would stretch on a sliding scale up to a family of four earning about $88,000 a year and cap its premiums at 9.8% of the family’s income. Medicaid would be available to a family of four earning up to about $29,000.

For employers:

Q: Under the bill, do I have to give my employees coverage?

A: Technically, there’s no requirement, but if you have more than 50 employees and don’t offer coverage, you’re likely to face penalties. Any employer that doesn’t offer affordable coverage and has an employee who gets a tax credit would face a fine of $750 per worker.

Q: What if I have fewer than 50 employees?

A: The penalties don’t apply to you.

Q: With premiums rising so quickly, what’s to stop small employers from dropping coverage?

A: Small employers would get help to encourage them to maintain health coverage. Starting next year, firms with a small number of workers and average wages of up to $25,000 a year would be eligible for tax credits equal to 35% of the company’s cost of their insurance. That help would phase out gradually for firms with more employees and higher wages.

Fire Chief Says Move Is About Family

By Bruce Kettelle

Trotwood Fire Chief Gene Lutz will start a new job in Madison, OH on January 18. After seven years in Trotwood Lutz is moving back home to lead the department next door to the Perrysburg department where his firefighting career began.

“Mom noticed the position was open and encouraged me to apply,” said Lutz. She has wanted him and her grandchildren closer since he moved to Trotwood. “It’s about family and going back home where my roots are.”

He said it is a lateral move pay wise. Madison Fire District responds to about 3,000 calls a year compared to Trotwood’s 6,000. Their staff is a little smaller too with 36 versus 77.

Although the pace is different, Madison has its challenges as the largest township in the state. “They are growing and they need to modernize some stuff,” say Lutz. “They wanted an outside view.”

Madison is in the midst or developing a new fire master plan due to complete this spring. Lutz is eager to play a role in developing the township’s future strategy.

In Trotwood Lutz led the construction of the new fire station on Little Richmond Rd. He is also responsible for restructuring the department’s management creating new efficiencies and cost benefits. During his tenure he has landed several large grants to replace turnout gear, technical rescue equipment, new tornado sirens, computerized EMS reports, and outfitted every vehicle with the new twelve lead cardiac monitor/defibrillators.

“I going to miss the people here, both the firefighters and the citizens,” said Lutz. “It’s a great place to be, I’ve really enjoyed being here.”

His last day in Trotwood is January 15.

Big Boom Rocks Olde Town

By Bruce Kettelle

A loud explosion startled Trotwood residents Wednesday afternoon. Reports of windows rattling and activated car alarms were wide spread in the Olde Town area.

The explosion created by the Wright Patterson Air Force Base Bomb Squad detonated some old military ordinance found in a shed in a nearby neighborhood.

Police Sergeant Fred Beck said the department was called to the home of a recently deceased retired US Marine. Family members were cleaning out the home.

“They did the right thing, they didn’t touch the munitions and immediately called us for assistance,” said Beck.

Police were able to identify a rocket-powered grenade, five smoke bombs, and a phosphorous grenade from the Korea and Vietnam Wars that were stored in a bucket. “They were pretty crusty (rusted) and since they were military devices we called Wright Pat instead of the Dayton Bomb Squad,” said Beck.

A Trotwood officer moved the items to nearby Sycamore State Park where the items were detonated. Beck said they chose the deserted horsemen’s area for safety reasons.

The explosion set off car alarms nearly two miles away along Trotwood Boulevard and elsewhere. Beck said dispatchers received about two-dozen calls from residents after the explosion mostly from the Stauffer Plat.