The view of those in the trenches supporting health care for all
Keynote: “Health Care Reform - What Has to Be Done”
By Don McCanne, M.D.
Health Care Council of Orange County
June 11, 2009
Annual Meeting
Opening questions directed to the audience:
How many here believe that it is probable - not certain, but probable - that Congress will pass health care reform and President Obama will sign it this year?
(Most individuals raised a hand)
How many believe that the legislation will provide insurance coverage to everyone or almost everyone?
(Not one hand went up)
How many believe that the legislation will be effective in slowing the rate of health care cost increases?
(Not one hand went up)
Comment:
By Don McCanne, MD
The Health Care Council of Orange County (California) has a mission of promoting access to improved health care for all Orange County residents through unified efforts to identify and address areas of need through research, collaboration, education and advocacy. The audience attending the annual meeting was composed of individuals who are quite well informed on the problems with our health care system, and they have been following the reform efforts taking place in Washington. Their opinions should matter to us.
For over half a century, the United States has struggled with a flawed health care financing system that leaves financial barriers in place for far too many of us. Most of the nation now agrees that something must be done to ensure that everyone has access to health care without having to face financial hardship or even bankruptcy.
But the goal of covering everyone has not been what has created the strong sense that health care is now facing a crisis. The concern that virtually everyone shares is that health care costs are no longer affordable. Too many individuals are no longer able to pay their insurance premiums, nor pay the out-of-pocket expenses not covered by insurance. Many businesses are no longer able to afford the costs of their employee health benefit programs. The federal and state governments are struggling with budget constraints aggravated by the high costs of public health programs.
Everyone agrees that it is critical that we do something now to slow the rate of increases in health care costs. While addressing costs, most of us also agree that we must bring everyone in under the umbrella of financial security when facing health care needs. Since neglect of these issues has created the crisis we face, you would think that Congress and the administration would be busy attempting to fix these problems.
Congress is busy all right. But no one at the Health Care Council has been fooled. We are going to end up with legislation that will be labeled “health reform,” but the twin crises of rising costs and inadequate insurance will still be with us. Congress and the President will walk away, pretending that they did something, and it will take years or decades of more suffering and hardship before our leaders revisit the problems and finally do the right thing.
Sheer madness!