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Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Make Health System Work for Us
By Dr. Elaine Bradshaw
Please, fellow New Mexicans — let's discuss health care reform in real terms.
Here's where I come from: I am a pediatrician, mother, wife and not a member of a political party — too much money and lobbyist influence for me. I know — and honestly, don't you know that our health care system can serve us better than it now does? This is not the time for divisive politics.
Many of us like our health care providers and our access to the U.S.'s terrific subspecialty care. But meanwhile, are we using our national resources as wisely as possible for our health? Why does our health care cost us so much, and leave so many of us out? Why do we pay twice what some countries pay, without better results?
For those who prefer words to numbers, here's a friend's story:
“My husband was diagnosed with an acute idiopathic illness in his late 20s that put him in the hospital every 4-6 months for 10 days at a time over five years. It then turned into chronic illness, and he has been dealing with many complex medical conditions for over 17 years.
“During the 5 years of hospital visits, he worked for a small business which put him on the state's catastrophic health program. While this was a good plan, we still had a lot of out-of-pocket expenses that almost put us into bankruptcy. He later chose to be a teacher not only for passion, but also for the good health care benefits, definitely not for the salary. “
Tea party folks — I don't enjoy paying taxes, and I really dislike budget deficits, which will grow enormously and drive up our taxes if we leave our health care system “as is.” Just remember that the real question is not whether we will pay taxes, but the amount and how well we use them. This is, after all, taxation with representation, unlike the British taxation that led to the historic Boston Tea Party.
Also, when thinking about reform, please consider the disadvantage our innovative citizens and companies face compared to those in countries with better-organized health care. Can we stop draining their resources with inefficiency? Can we improve the system so I can focus more on your child's health and less on bureaucracy?
Faults and all, in my family's budget, I'll still spend money on health before many other things. I'm thankful for the time I had with my mother in hospice, without worry about bills — Medicare. My entire family benefited from breast-feeding help for my daughter — private insurance. My aging father is independent despite breaking his ankle, thanks to physical therapy — Medicare and private insurance.
Please think, listen to your hearts, forget partisanship, call your representatives with your ideas, and keep in mind the health of your family and community. We have a historic chance to make our health care system work better for us!
Bradshaw lives in Santa Fe.
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