My View
Passing meaningful health care reform was never going to be easy. But the cost of doing nothing is no longer affordable, especially for American families.
They know the system is broken, costs too much and wastes too much. An improved system would have greater value for the money spent.
AARP and the Massachusetts Medical Society believe Congress must pass health care reform now. We're calling on Congress to guarantee that patients have a choice of affordable insurance options and to preserve the patient's choice of doctors — doctors who will work with patients to reach the best possible decisions. We must keep our eye on the goal — dependable, affordable health insurance for all Americans.
This basic need is increasingly out of reach for many. Nearly 50 million people don't have health insurance. Millions more have insurance that doesn't meet their needs. Being one serious illness away from financial ruin isn't acceptable.
Efforts are underway to derail reform and block progress by using myths, rumors and scare tactics. One example: Health reform will give the government the power to make life and death decisions for everyone. The fact is no one, including the government, will have the power to make these choices except those who should — patients, their families and their physicians.
None of the proposals being considered would stand between a patient and doctor or prevent a patient from choosing the best care possible. Health care reform is not about rationing; it's about choosing one's own doctor, always having a choice of affordable plans and improving quality of care. It's about preserving what's right, and fixing what's wrong.
We must ensure that people who are sick, or who have been sick, can get and keep health insurance. All insurers must be barred from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
We must also improve the way the system treats both patients and doctors. We need to change what we pay for and how we pay for it. For instance, health insurance should pay for preventive care, which keeps people from getting sick and keeps them out of the hospital.
Physicians, not insurance companies, should decide the best treatment for a patient. We should also be sure that doctors who care for Medicare and Medicaid patients are paid fairly.
The cost of health insurance for individuals, families, businesses and government must be contained. Without meaningful reform, premiums are expected to nearly double in the next seven years, and American families, even those with insurance, will face financial hardship.
Patients and their doctors want reform that holds down costs, provides affordable insurance options for everyone, restores the ability of physicians to provide timely, high-quality care to their patients, and encourages preventive care and promotes healthy lifestyles.
We've learned a lot about how to improve health care here in Massachusetts since our own reform beginning in 2006. Achieving reform at the national level will require that same dedication.
AARP and the Massachusetts Medical Society are committed to ensuring that reform guarantees stable, affordable coverage and protects patient choices. We believe that we all share responsibility to be part of the solution. With rising costs and shrinking coverage, the need for fair measures to improve health care has never been so urgent.
As members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation wrap up time in their districts listening to constituents, we remind them to keep their eye on the goal — passing meaningful health care reform when they return to Washington.
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Deborah Banda is state director for AARP. Mario Motta, M.D., who practices in Salem, is the president of the Massachusetts Medical Society.
