Health reform
passes! The first woman Speaker of the House and first
African American President have risked their careers and the political position
of their party to accomplish what so many others have failed to do; they have
passed significant health reform with huge consequences for the future of our
families and our country.
It is none too soon. In the last ten days we have had more reports
of the terrible state of health insurance protection. We learned that in
California, the uninsured population has risen by almost 2 million in the
last 2 years—25% of Californians are now uninsured.
Hospitals explain that their pricing increases to
private insurers are needed to cover the huge shortfalls in their revenue due
to inadequate reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid patients and uncompensated
care to the uninsured. Insurers report they are squeezed by the price
increases health facilities are demanding and the loss of many customers, especially
the profitable, healthy people whose premiums help pay for the costs of those
with significant claims. The more premiums increase, the more people opt out of
buying insurance all together, either because they can no longer afford it or
because they don't believe the risk justifies the cost.
We at Shargel & Co. have been horrified and
embarrassed by the political process that has created this legislation: the
hundreds of millions of dollars spent lobbying and advertising; the total
inability of our elected representatives to put aside partisan differences and
work together; the special deals demanded and made; the failure to take the
long view and create a bill that both covers the uninsured and addresses the
gathering storm of increasing costs.
Nevertheless, we have found much to applaud as
well as much to criticize in the bill. We applaud the President and the
Democratic Party. We recognize the dedication and commitment of the millions of
Americans whose advocacy work made passage of this legislation possible. It may
not be all that we hoped it to be but it is a start. The most important result
of this legislation is that we have committed ourselves to extending health
insurance to 30 million uninsured Americans; this in itself is a great
achievement.
The passage of this legislation is only the first
step. Its success will rest in its execution. Let us all take the
high road and come together and work to fulfill the highest ideals of this
reform effort; through our dedication we can make this law better than it
is. Let us work with a new spirit of generosity towards those in need and
an unfailing commitment to assure that we are spending every dollar prudently
to safeguard the health of our nation and our families.
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