Title: Legislators, Feeling The Heat After DiMasi Indictment, Prepare Ethics Reform

" This is a WBUR news podcast for Thursday June 4 a service of WBUR. Boston's NPR news station I Delores handy. Coming up a new Harvard study examines the link between medical expenses and bankruptcy. Bartering gains popularity in the down economy. But first. Governor Deval Patrick senate president -- marry and speaker Robert the Leo are promising swift action on ethics reform. Resolved by the Beacon Hill leadership troika comes in the wake of this week's corruption indictment of former house speaker -- to Macy. They -- is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for steering taxpayer money to a software contractor. Yes today speaker Robert -- conveying that closed door meeting that Democrats in the house to discuss the Macy's indictment WBUR -- reports."

" Democrats said the mood in the meeting was one of shock disgust and anger. Most Democrats would not talk on the record about the meeting one of the few who did representative Dan goes with him. North Adams try to remain noncommittal about the accusations against. Stan -- that you have to be pretty down to do what. Is alleged to be done so I you know the jury's out and we'll see we'll see what happens if it's true it's very disappointed if the statute and -- pizza and I hope that. I hope we get to the bottom. When representative got a firsthand look at the public anger. -- allegations of corruption Dennis -- Dalton says he was given the finger point two drivers when he saw his state representatives license plate. Still dire says he doesn't regret having voted for -- for speaker no I don't because when I voted for -- the -- in January it was -- It was speculation. Speculative. A lot of what we're hearing was in the media I looked it speaker to Macy's record. Thirty year legislator. One legislator who worked closely with the -- was house Republican leader Brad Jones described his feelings as you read the indictment Tuesday night."

" Completely unacceptable. Behavior and I -- is a presumption of innocence but you know if these cases is proven war. Portions of different communities -- very very outrageous picture of it's it's."

" Members of the joint house senate committee are expected to meet behind closed source today to negotiate new legislation. That would reform lobbying and other ethics questions on Beacon Hill. The -- indictment has precipitated the resolve of state house leaders to move quickly on ethics reform. Governor Deval Patrick senate president Teresa -- and speaker to Leo issued a joint statement yesterday saying they -- the people of Massachusetts. Nothing less for WBUR I'm -- types."

" The number of bankruptcies titan medical cost in the US is on the rise. A Harvard University study out today shares of 50%. Increase from 2001. To 2007. The vast majority of the 2300. Bankruptcy filers surveyed. Pet health insurance when their medical problems began. Joining us for more on these findings is co author Steffi will handler an associate professor of medicine at Harvard. Gupta will handler at thank you for joining us. You find that 62%. Of bankruptcies have a medical costs. Does a few examples of how Americans hit this predicament and explain what you include as a medical cost."

" Well I -- very common from the area analyst somebody had insurance usually private insurance and they cut it. Either they got -- they've lost their work in lost their insurance. And we're bankrupted by medical bills. Equally common with people who kept that private insurance due out deep illness that bankrupted them but they were bankrupted by out of pocket costs. They would do it gaps in their insurance. Gaps like -- payments deductibles and I'm covered services. So deep majority of people medical bankruptcy. Guided their illness which health insurance that would bankruptcy."

" What to include as a medical cost."

" Anything that they patients said it was a medical costs we included I turned out that for most people the biggest cost was hospital bills followed by prescription drugs followed by doctor you know adapt quickly included things like home care and nursing home care. Electric wheelchairs to people -- like that well."

" trended insurance Atlantis toward higher deductibles higher co payment. Is that part of the reason that medical debt is on the --"

" We think. We think there's two forces at work one -- that total health care costs are going up and have not been controlled. But a more significant thing has -- a bigger share that total cost has been pushed up -- Patients. Even patients who have insurance. -- have insurance with huge co payments and deductibles. That just doesn't really protective family and financial ruling that they faces serious and prolonged illness."

" survey was conducted in 2007. Well before the economic downfall we're in right now. Have you done any follow up to assess the impact of the current filings."

" Well well we now. -- debt the total number of filings is skyrocketing. Congress tightened up bankruptcy. Eligibility. In October 2000. And when -- got more expensive and harder to file for bankruptcy -- number of bankruptcies really plummeted. But at least subtly that number has increased again and in 2009. -- expected to have the same number of bankruptcies that we can't afford the rules were timed in 2000. So we're definitely seeing an upswing in. Total bankruptcies. Based on what we've seen we expect that get sent to two thirds of those would have a medical costs."

" Bankruptcy attorneys generally report that credit card debt is the main problem that clients present do you disagree or are you saying that credit card debt is often medical debt."

" We did find -- people to put -- medical -- on credit cards it's very common if people are really scared they're really sick they know how to pay for health care medication that they'll put that on their credit card as a -- I'm very aware of patients who used to be able to come in -- whenever they felt it -- are avoiding coming in because they have the -- payments and insurance."

" Did you think the trend has peaked --"

" Absolutely not we've seen big upswing in the number of bankruptcies in 2009. We're also seeing a big upswing in and out of pocket health care costs. Which were incorporated. Institutionalized. If you will in Massachusetts Health Care reform because -- Policies that are mandated for people under the individual mandate. Com with huge co payments and deductibles. This is very reality that said the reform that's going on in Washington DC. But that they that is not going to be fixed is the problem medical bankruptcy and nobody's really talking. About improving coverage for people who now have insurer. And making Mac coverage comprehensive -- cover all the medically need and they connect averaged ten US."

" we'll handler thank you. -- will handler is an associate professor of medicine at Harvard. And cofounder of physicians for a national health program she was talking with us about a new study. They -- a rapid rise in bankruptcies due to medical cost. And ancient form of exchange is making a comeback during this economic downturn. Individuals and businesses are bartering services and goods piano lessons plumbing accounting dining room set. Even asparagus. WB yours Andrea Shea has a story -- people turning to trade when money's tight."

" So. We -- rates that we do salary they will were forbidden. No really she does that all the time standing in her wealthy but hits in the marketing expert he doesn't cook must. Reaped the harvest of a barter system -- devised five months ago expressed. -- Yeah. Gates is talking to Jake Ferreira. Fashion don't logo for his fledgling farming company beatle bond farm LLC. A rare and his business partner. Helps people and schools built vegetable gardens on Martha's Vineyard. He also cater using local ingredients. Career is here making good on his card and repeal -- moaning cooler passed the crashed prepared meal. This is the sole State Department. -- On the Wikipedia -- and at half -- asparagus with strained cartilage and homemade cheese. He -- he usually charges of 100 dollars an hour for her marketing know how. As an alternative she started the real work for food project. He gives marketing advice to fifteen New England farms in exchange for homegrown goods for her and her family. I wanted to find a way to offer my services to clients. And I -- friends usually don't have money set aside from marketing budget. But they -- critics."

" You're looking for tools that could better establish our brand. And in -- she wanted to learn more about food and locally grown produce and and the ability to cook."

" So again these Regis. While bartering is beauty meets Jake Ferreira is well aware that the concept is each old."

" A down economy and make sense to return to certain traditions that can work out well where people can trade. -- like items for us in the agriculture field it's very easy for us to partners not quite an apple for apple but maybe it's chats from union."

" For others though a trade could be a piece of art for stay until. 24 year old stone carver and -- Scott Haley doesn't have dental insurance his summer built studio is packed with art sales have been slow so Haley joint border connections in Newton. It's a company that access of bartering middleman."

" I need to get a crown for about tooth so I dropped off the painting. And I have to set up an appointment with the dentist. I should probably do perform -- to false."

" Can Haley just discovered bartering but for some people it's a way of life. Everything in this apartment started or even might plants. Kelly MacDonald and 27 year old photographer. Isn't kidding. The furniture in her -- place a wine fridge chandeliers electrical work all gotten via trade for currency. Wedding and the only portrait packages. -- began bartering three years ago she has plenty of paid jobs that says swapping not shopping makes sense. It's a lot more responsible for mean especially now on its economy some saving my money. Adding that comes and just gets put the bank. McDonald arranges her trades on Craig's list and she's not alone. Over the past twelve months traffic in the sites bartering category. Jumped 100%. Nationwide. 50% in Boston. But for people new to bartering MacDonald has this morning I didn't aren't my first -- I had -- here. He had -- and kids and she took pictures of all of them but the electrician. Never showed up every answer my calls again. And that's probably twenty hours of work in those photos a lot of people. After that I put together contract."

" That's something can happen in the cash economy as well somebody can promise to pay in the -- Perry. That's Jim hoops professor of business ethics and Babson College. Bartering flourishes when cash is hard again he says and -- the Great Depression. In 1933. President Roosevelt shut down the country's banks for a full week. Money is scarce. As a result hoops at a barter economy sprang up. Rural department store is accepted sheet for dresses for example. But it was a temporary fixes hoops because bartering is inefficient in an economy that's built on speed. It's eight point charming practice and of funds CN reflects individual initiative. As social policy it's not something we want to encourage because he says it's not a sign of healthy economy. Cold hard cash is it because it's a common medium of exchange he could spend it anywhere on any thing. But you can only take -- so many -- or pieces of art or big."

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