I find myself early on Sunday morning after the House of Representatives passed landmark health care reform legislation last night asking how I really feel about this momentous event.
The answer is that I actually feel pretty good. And I must admit that surprised me.
Like you, I have been exposed to many “inputs” that have vied for my attention and have tried to influence my opinions. I would expect nothing less, especially with something as momentous as health care reform legislation. After all, this is a bill which inevitably will have a substantial influence on how we receive our medical care, how we provide our medical care, and how we pay for our medical care.
Some of those inputs are “pro,” some are “con” and all try to sway us into their camp as part of the political process. Some of the sources are “distant,” but some are very “up close and personal.”
I can start in my own family, where our internal discussions about this legislation have given rise to a considerable amount of disagreement. To put it mildly, not everyone in my household thinks this version of health care reform is such a good idea.
I live in an area of the country where opposition to health care reform among physicians and my neighbors and friends runs strong and runs deep.
I work for an organization that supports health care reform. I belong to other organizations that have been very vocal in their support of the reform legislation, and others which are equally strident in their opposition.
I have been glued to my computer, my Blackberry and the various news shows seeking information and opinions on the reform legislation as it moved through the House. And I haven’t been disappointed with the variety and number of comments that I found through those outlets.
So, with all of that considered--including the personal dilemmas and conflicts--how do I finally come to grips with the realization that this legislation will truly change the landscape in this country for health care for the good and the benefit of many?
On a personal level—as reflected in one of my previous blogs where I wrote about what I wanted from health care reform—I believe this legislation will move us forward to address several of those concerns in a positive way.
I believe that the concepts embodied in this legislation will result in dramatic, beneficial innovations in health insurance and health care that will considerably improve what is now a very dysfunctional system. I also am of the opinion that this legislation will support “game changing” advances in processes, administrative simplicity, and customer service that we have seen in other industries. Competition, after all, is usually a good thing.
And then there were the statements of support for the legislation that came from sources that I know and trust.
Obviously, I work for the American Cancer Society. The board of the Society made a commitment several years ago to make improving access to access to health care the leading nationwide initiative for the organization. Comprehensive health care reform is a major part of the effort to improve access to care, and the Society's advocacy affiliate the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) has led the charge for reform on behalf of cancer patients and survivors across the country.
Last week, ACS CAN supported this legislation after carefully analyzing what it would mean to people as viewed “though the cancer lens.” That evaluation showed that there was much in the legislation that met their expectations and our country’s needs when viewed through this prism.
They weren’t alone. The AARP, other respected voluntary health organizations, the American Medical Association and numerous medical professional organizations also supported the legislation after their own very detailed examinations led them to conclude that the concepts embodied in this bill were overall good for the country.
I keep hearing the same thing from every one of them: there is much here that conforms to our policies and our expectations. Every one concluded that—on balance—the legislation is overwhelmingly more favorable than negative.
There are significant unknowns about the impact of this legislation, as is always the case with something as far-reaching as health care reform.
This is a bill that—if ultimately signed by the President—will be subject to regulatory interpretation. There will inevitably be “follow-on” legislation over the years to further refine and define what we are trying to accomplish. And that doesn’t even consider the fact that there is still a long way for this bill to travel before it becomes law, as it moves to the Senate followed by the conference committee followed by reconsideration by the House and the Senate before it is signed by the President.
So now we move on. We are not finished with this process, and there is probably going to be a considerable amount of discussion and drama as we go to the Senate and the conference committee.
Maybe we are finally on the cusp of making a real difference in the lives of real people. Maybe we are on the cusp of getting reforms that will work, and which will expand access to health care for people in this country who have no hope today of getting the health care they need.
And just maybe we are on the cusp of fulfilling my own long-held dream of developing a truly American solution to providing adequate, affordable, quality health care to every citizen.
Let’s hope that in the spirit that has made this country great, we will not lose sight of that very elusive goal.
Let’s continue to craft that truly American solution, one which will make many of us proud that we worked towards providing an answer to a fundamental need that will improve the health of our nation and benefit us all.
