Health Care: Myths and Access

I began this blog last summer as a way to get some of my thoughts and opinions across. One of my objectives when it pertains to the political arena is to drop the curtain that gets put up. What I mean is: I look at politics from a centralist point of view. I am not a liberal. I am not a conservative. I dislike the fringes of both because they lie more than tell the truth because politics is a game and people who refuse to educate themselves either way are just pawns. Certainly, not many issues have been dragged through the mud like the health care reform debate. Republicans and even worse, their hard base, have voiced some of the craziest statements to confuse people or cause paranoia. So, with that said; how about I "educate" you on some myths and the importance of access to health care.

After what has seemed like an eternity the health care reform that has been close before is almost certain to pass in the coming days and hours. With all the rhetoric tossed around it might be difficult to distinguish what is fact and what is fiction. Here are 5 myths:

1) This could have been a bipartisan bill: From Day 1 of the Obama administration and more importantly the 111th Congress; there was a divide that seemed nearly impossible to bridge. Democrats have the majority and Republicans being the minority were going to fight to avoid anything the Democrats wanted. President Obama campaigned on bipartisanship and working with Republicans, but was met coldly by the opposition party as they did not want to aides in his agenda's success. As the debate when on during the fall and into the spring we saw a clear clash between the two sides. The summit last month was supposed to be the time to put aside partisan differences, but Republicans could only tap on the 2,500 page bill sitting next to each representative from the Republican Party there. Democrats want to expand coverage while Republicans would rather see cost control as the central piece of this legislation. Oh, and despite the fact that Republicans want to do something; they still want to hit the reset button and start completely over. The Republicans, whether it be a good or bad decision, were going to walk lockstep and we have seen that for over a year now.

2) Democrats gave up on the public option too soon: Many on the left felt that the public option was not given a fair chance at getting passed. Progressive campaigns looked to promote its possibility through several statements by Senators. Despite the fact that is will not be on the final legislation and many view it as dead; it is not entirely gone. Legislators who support it are still promoting it and they are still fighting for it. It is tricky to get everything at once and the fact that many are voicing support for it through arguments proves that Democrats have not given up on the public option.

3) Scott Brown changed everything: That one can go either way. His election did force Democrats to have to go back to the drawing board and reassess where they stood as they no longer had a supermajority in the U.S. Senate. The fact that they had gotten the votes in the both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate; they just needed to get it through final procedure votes, which is the course we are on now that should lead to its passage. Whatever the outcome of the special election in Massachusetts, President Obama was focused on carrying through on this legislation; whatever it took. Time will see the impact of Brown's election, but it only altered the course; not derailed health care or the legislation's path.

4) The public is undecided about health care reform: They might be divided over it, but are certainly not undecided. In the latest group of polls, roughly close to 40% favor the idea of this health care legislation while a little less than 50% saying they disagree with this and somewhere is the 10 to 15 percent range without an opinion. The opinions have been about the same for the last few months. The public is far from undecided.

5) How lawmakers vote on health care reform will be the top issue in the 2010 midterm elections: This might be true to some, but not most. It will be a top issue, but not the top issue as jobs and the economy are as important as they were two years ago. There is more than a 2 to 1 advantage for jobs and the economy over health care among voters as their top issue. As with many things, it will be fresh in the minds of voters for about a month, but by November it will have subsided. The economy, job market, and unemployment levels will dominate voters' minds and influence several votes. Bad economies trump all other issues. It is a proven fact. Health care reform will at time link itself to the economy and jobs as Democrats will plug the reform as a way to create jobs and ease aspects of the struggling job market and businesses while Republicans will portray the legislation as something that the White House and Democrats did instead of solving the economic issues.

5 big myths..debunked.


The second part of this post pertains to the importance of access. An article by Nicholas Kristof sparked by interest the other day. He asked: "When in American history did life expectancy improve the most?" He then proceeds to gives guesses for the readers. Maybe the late 1800s with the birth of anesthesia. Or in the 1930s when we first saw antibacterial medicines. Or in the last few decades with CAT scans and heart bypasses. The answer: the 1940s. I did not see that one coming. Why? Because life expectancy increased by about seven years. It is odd that during the war years life expectancy was longer; despite all the deaths in Europe and Asia; than in the years before the war.

The answer and reason behind such an oddity is the fact that Americans were treated and had access to medical care during the war mobilization. Many who were far from doctors or had the medical coverage now had that coverage by being enlisted. Also the various jobs created and New Deal programs gave all these people who before had no to limited access better care. Nothing fancy. Just plain and simple access. And the current legislation for health care reform would only increase access.

Throughout history, access has generally increased, but now it is starting to stall and even reverse and decrease. We have had minor improvements over time, but it has now been nearly 50 years since Medicare and that is a major reason for the decline in access. The oddest thing about the whole health care argument: Republicans oppose this legislation, but it is more towards the center than Richard Nixon's proposed plan back in the early 1970s. Studies have found that without health care legislation, the number of uninsured will only go up by as much as 10 million in the next five years. This negative data is backed up when we look at Americans versus other countries in terms of life expectancy. Children can become sick and die without proper access. Women can have complications from childbirth and even die that could be brought on from lack of proper access. However, those on Medicare generally do very well when compared to other populations. Why? They have coverage and access to care.

Studies provide the information, but any reasonable person would know that uninsured people have a higher possibility of dying early because with insurance and care you can prevent diseases, illnesses, and other causes of deaths.

And what about abortions? Well, according to T.R. Reid, former editor for the Washington Post, "Increasing health-care coverage is one of the most powerful tools for reducing the number of abortions- a fact proved by years of experience in other industrialized nations." Compared to our neighbors to the North in Canada for instance, we have one-third more abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age. With increased access, contraception and child care become easier and thus lower the rate of abortions and pregnancies in general.

Thus, whether you agree with everything in the bill or not; what is most important is the fact that more and more Americans will now have access to care that they did not have before. It is a right that Americans should be able to exercise. Access leads to less deaths, less health risks, and a better country overall. I can't find no better argument for health care reform than this. Maybe this will be the last post on why we need reform and I will be able to write on how health care is helping millions and that includes access.

There have been myths and many lies along the road the last several months. Look to the root and you can clear the dirt off the truth and see why this legislation is so important and should cross the finish soon enough after a long wait.