Message from CHA President: Health Reform More Essential than Ever
CHA President and CEO Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, issued the following statement on health reform in the wake of this week’s special election: “Amid the flurry of explanations, accusations and purported motivations for the victory of Senator-Elect Scott Brown in Massachusetts, some have decided it means the American people have rejected health reform. Uncritical acceptance of this is dangerous to the health of the American people. Even a cursory review of reality today demonstrates the continued need to significantly improve our healthcare delivery and financing system.”
“Getting past the media hype, the political posturing and the avalanche of suggestions is essential. The core truth remains - this country and its people need good health reform. The suffering of so many must claim our attention first and foremost. Whether it is the uninsured, the underinsured or the working family struggling to keep their ever more expensive insurance, it is vital that they remain the center of attention. We do not have perfect bills and we do not have a plan for truly universal coverage. But will the bill that emerges be a good first step? CHA has a clear vision of what reform should look like. As the House and Senate bills have been debated, we continually weighed in with our elected representatives with suggestions to improve the final product. We all have a stake in it being a good first step. It has been a trying experience getting this far. Genuine differences of opinion - on what works best, what can be afforded, what is fair, etc. - have been a challenge. However, even more challenging has been the deliberate distortions, misinformation and fear mongering. It has not been democracy at its best, and we have seen how stressful this is for the American public.”
“Now is the time for responsible citizenship. Putting the needs of people ahead of self interest, political interests and partisan concerns is essential. CHA will be working with our elected leaders to maintain responsible health reform as a high priority and to assure their commitment to effective action in a reasonable timeframe. We will continue to keep you informed on relevant developments and, when circumstances call for it, request your help persuading our lawmakers to move forward. This process is still far from over.”