Press Releases and Articles
Creating workable health care solutions for all
by Pat Fleming
Sierra Vista Herald, June 3, 2007
Parents should not have to choose between taking sick children to the doctor and putting food on the table for their families. Employees should not go without medical care because their employers are unable to offer health insurance. Senior citizens on fixed incomes should not suffer discomfort and poor health because they cannot afford medicines they need.
All Arizonans should be able to participate in a health care system that allows them to live healthy, productive lives. Healthy children are an investment in our future. Healthy workers allow our business sector to remain productive. Healthy senior citizens are a blessing to themselves and their families.
Right now, some of our citizens who could not otherwise afford private health insurance for themselves and their families can get affordable coverage through state programs. These programs can and should be expanded to improve the health of more Arizonans.
Democratic legislators have proposed affordable, workable plans to move us toward the goal of universal health care in Arizona, proposals that deserve a fair, open hearing on the floor of the Legislature. Unfortunately, state Republican leaders continue to block improvements to existing health care programs, and they prevent universal health care legislation from even being discussed on the floor of the Legislature.
KidsCare is a wonderful program providing health insurance to children of families who can’t afford it on their own. Right now, 61,000 Arizona children are covered, and for every dollar the State spends, the federal government puts in three. But KidsCare legislation includes a “gag rule” that forbids schools from marketing the program to their students. As a result, 119,000 children who are eligible for the program are denied medical care simply because their parents do not know it is available. Gov. Janet Napolitano, Democratic legislators and some of their Republican colleagues have tried to repeal the gag rule so more children can receive the health care they need. The Republican leadership insists on exclusion.
For many small businesses and the self employed, private health insurance plans are simply unavailable, or are unaffordable. The state-run HealthCare Group gives them a way to obtain coverage for themselves and their employees. Even those with pre-existing conditions, the people who are most often excluded by insurers, can participate. But Republicans have burdened HealthCare Group with restrictions making it less available and financially viable for those who need it. New members must go without coverage for six months before they are eligible, risking injury or illness during the bare period. Many eligible businesses are hesitant to participate because of the uncertain future of HealthCare Group. Republicans have burdened the program with restrictions written by insurance lobbyists to undermine the solvency of the program, resulting in the current $20 million deficit.
House Minority Leader Phil Lopes, D-Tucson, has proposed legislation to create a public-private partnership that would phase in universal health care over a three year period. For two years, he has tried to get a hearing for his legislation, but the Republican leaders have not allowed it to reach the floor for discussion.
Substantive changes to KidsCare and HealthCare Group would mean we would have more healthy kids and families. Lopes continues to advocate for legislation that will phase in health care for all Arizonans.
We have many other problems to address. We need to build more medical schools, more hospitals and more clinics. We also need to increase the number of health care providers, doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and medical facility staffing, making certain that they are the absolute best in the nation. We need to address the problems in rural areas, where gaps in health care and health care facilities are the greatest. We need to honor our veterans and active-duty military by always providing them and their failies the best possible care.
This country spends far more per person on health care than any other country in the world, yet tens of millions of us are uninsured or underinsured. Opponents of universal health care are fond of saying we can’t afford to give everyone access to doctors and prescription medicines. The fact is, we can’t afford to put so many people’s health in jeopardy due to the unconscionable gaps in our systems. If we only spend our health care dollars more wisely, we can close the gap and afford to give everyone the chance to participate in a world-class system. We can, and must, do better.
