Health care reform; A beginning, not the end
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Dec 21, 2009 Posted by Brianna Jones
The following perspective by Brianna Jones was printed in the Casper Star Tribune, 12/20/2009, http://bit.ly/5jF80y
Our nation’s health care debate has gone from civil, to raucous, to downright ridiculous, but the truth is that there are millions of people across the nation -- more than 72,000 in Wyoming -- who cannot go to the doctor because they cannot afford or do not have adequate insurance.
Each day someone falls through the cracks because they do not have the means to access care. This is not how it should be. Partisan rhetoric aside, Congress is working on real solutions to confront the health care crisis, several of which will make a tangible difference to Wyoming’s people.
Supporting small businesses -- In order to provide health care, small businesses currently pay up to 18 percent more per worker than larger firms. Local entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of Wyoming’s communities, and we need to ensure that the 17,144 small employers in Wyoming can be financially secure and provide health coverage to their employees. The proposals in Congress accomplish these goals by offering small business tax credits, allowing access to a variety of options through the health insurance exchange, and leveling the playing field between businesses.
Protecting seniors -- The last thing the bills in Congress seek to achieve is to cut seniors out of the health care system. We know that it is our aging population that needs care the most, and that is why Democrats have fought since Medicare’s inception in 1965 for quality care for our seniors. We will continue to fight for an effective and fiscally responsible Medicare program. Tellingly, AARP supports the congressional proposals. Notable inclusions are the creation of a new annual wellness benefit, free preventive benefits, and reduction of drug costs for seniors by closing the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole." There are also provisions to improve access to home and community-based care, such as the Community Living and Assisted Services Supports (CLASS) program, which recognizes that seniors and those with disabilities should remain in their own homes and communities. By cutting wasteful and costly programs we will ensure that all seniors will receive quality care while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Expanding access to care -- Claims that care would be limited or "rationed" under this bill are terrifying, but without basis. If you have ever navigated the details of a health insurance plan, you know the company dictates exactly which treatments you can and cannot have. This is the rationing of care. Health reform will address rationing by requiring insurance companies to cover patients with pre-existing conditions, ban lifetime coverage limits, eliminate gender and age discrimination, and encourage preventative care such as yearly screenings and routine doctors visits. Greater access to the care we need, rather than the care our insurance companies say we can have, will make us healthier and save money as conditions are diagnosed and treated sooner.
Improving rural health -- In rural areas, many people are forced to drive great distances to even receive basic care. Over 20 percent of Wyomingites live in a primary care shortage area; the national average is less than 12 percent. Incentives have been included in the proposals to create a National Health Service Corps which will attract a range of providers to underserved areas. The corps will help attract physicians to Wyoming communities and compliment programs like WWAMI, a partnership with Western universities to help students attend medical school and return to Wyoming. Even in our capital, the Cheyenne community clinic is closing and patients are literally scrambling to find another provider. One Cheyenne provider has graciously offered to have after-hours clinics, but his contribution cannot possibly fill the widening gap. This problem pervades all communities in Wyoming; our dedication to increased access is vital.
Where can single-mothers, minimum wage workers, small business owners, or children turn? The facts can -- and have been -- distorted in a million ways, but ultimately Democrats believe health care should be a right and not a privilege. It need not threaten the private sector insurance industry, but the industry’s prosperity should not come at the expense of the American people.
The proposals we see in Congress are a wonderful start to fixing a system that has been begging for reforms since Teddy Roosevelt was president. But this is not the end, it is the beginning. It is high time that the deceptive ploys cease and we unite to build a system that benefits all Americans.