Trauma doctors often speak of the "golden hour" - the critical time when life and death hang in the balance. Our health care system is the trauma patient, driving millions of Americans into debt and despair; and this is the "golden hour" when we can give it new life. We can reform it in a meaningful, sustaining way - to insure everyone so our kids can learn; our workers can be fully productive; our seniors can contribute well into retirement; and our economy can compete and thrive in the 21st century.
Or, we can let it linger on the brink, knowing that we all sit on the brink, too, facing financial ruin or denial of coverage for health care at any time.
Health care for all is a part of the American Dream that has gone unfulfilled since 1945 when President Harry Truman first proposed it. How many people have suffered; how many families bankrupted; how many business plans deferred; how many futures denied because we do not have affordable, accessible, quality health care for all? For the first time in more than six decades, as we begin to transform our economy and reclaim our stake in the American Dream, health care for all is within our grasp.
Some thought this day would never come - and many are doing all they can to assure it never will, but they are in the minority. Access to affordable health care is the number one concern of Wisconsinites. It is a worry that keeps parents up at night; keeps seniors from taking all the medications they need; keeps young people from getting early, preventive care and keeps America from the position of world economic leadership we enjoyed for so long. It's the issue I hear more about than any other; the one whose painful personal stories move and motivate me day in and day out.
Along with President Obama and many of my colleagues in Congress, I am persevering against strong opposition to improve health care quality, lower costs, keep insurance companies honest and responsive, give you greater choice, and give those choices to all Americans.
Key committees in the House of Representatives, including one on which I sit, have produced a plan that will prevent insurance companies from denying you coverage because of a pre-existing medical condition. It will ensure that workers can still have health insurance if they lose or change a job, or start a new business. And it includes a health insurance exchange that will allow families and small businesses to compare prices and quality so they can choose the health care plan that best suits their needs.
Under our proposal, if you like your doctor and the plan you have now, you may keep them. If you are not satisfied with your coverage or if you are one of the 47 million Americans currently uninsured, you will have additional and more affordable options.
For real reform ... transformational reform ... we need a public plan to keep costs down and insurance companies honest - a public plan where the focus won't be on profit and multimillion-dollar executive compensation packages.
There is no reason to fear a public health insurance option. We already have a highly successful one here in Wisconsin called SeniorCare, a program that enjoys broad, bipartisan support. Since 2003, Wisconsin has been offering a public option for seniors in need of prescription drug coverage who do not select the private plans in Medicare Part D. While SeniorCare is both wildly popular and hugely effective, private prescription drug insurance plans continue to flourish in Wisconsin, with a large number of available plans and fair premium rates.
In 2007, against the wishes of the Bush Administration, every member of our state's Congressional delegation rallied successfully to keep the waiver that allows our state to offer this public health plan option. That Republicans who openly embraced SeniorCare now react so negatively to a public option in broader health care reform makes no sense.
The loud voices and well-financed campaigns of the naysayers, the cynics, and the keepers of the status quo will not trump the millions of Wisconsinites and Americans in all parts of the country and every sector of society who know that enough is enough. The "golden hour" to pass transformational reform that includes a public plan option, is here and the clock is ticking.
- Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, represents Wisconsin's 2nd Congressional District. Baldwin serves sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee that is writing the largest portion of the health care reform legislation.
Or, we can let it linger on the brink, knowing that we all sit on the brink, too, facing financial ruin or denial of coverage for health care at any time.
Health care for all is a part of the American Dream that has gone unfulfilled since 1945 when President Harry Truman first proposed it. How many people have suffered; how many families bankrupted; how many business plans deferred; how many futures denied because we do not have affordable, accessible, quality health care for all? For the first time in more than six decades, as we begin to transform our economy and reclaim our stake in the American Dream, health care for all is within our grasp.
Some thought this day would never come - and many are doing all they can to assure it never will, but they are in the minority. Access to affordable health care is the number one concern of Wisconsinites. It is a worry that keeps parents up at night; keeps seniors from taking all the medications they need; keeps young people from getting early, preventive care and keeps America from the position of world economic leadership we enjoyed for so long. It's the issue I hear more about than any other; the one whose painful personal stories move and motivate me day in and day out.
Along with President Obama and many of my colleagues in Congress, I am persevering against strong opposition to improve health care quality, lower costs, keep insurance companies honest and responsive, give you greater choice, and give those choices to all Americans.
Key committees in the House of Representatives, including one on which I sit, have produced a plan that will prevent insurance companies from denying you coverage because of a pre-existing medical condition. It will ensure that workers can still have health insurance if they lose or change a job, or start a new business. And it includes a health insurance exchange that will allow families and small businesses to compare prices and quality so they can choose the health care plan that best suits their needs.
Under our proposal, if you like your doctor and the plan you have now, you may keep them. If you are not satisfied with your coverage or if you are one of the 47 million Americans currently uninsured, you will have additional and more affordable options.
For real reform ... transformational reform ... we need a public plan to keep costs down and insurance companies honest - a public plan where the focus won't be on profit and multimillion-dollar executive compensation packages.
There is no reason to fear a public health insurance option. We already have a highly successful one here in Wisconsin called SeniorCare, a program that enjoys broad, bipartisan support. Since 2003, Wisconsin has been offering a public option for seniors in need of prescription drug coverage who do not select the private plans in Medicare Part D. While SeniorCare is both wildly popular and hugely effective, private prescription drug insurance plans continue to flourish in Wisconsin, with a large number of available plans and fair premium rates.
In 2007, against the wishes of the Bush Administration, every member of our state's Congressional delegation rallied successfully to keep the waiver that allows our state to offer this public health plan option. That Republicans who openly embraced SeniorCare now react so negatively to a public option in broader health care reform makes no sense.
The loud voices and well-financed campaigns of the naysayers, the cynics, and the keepers of the status quo will not trump the millions of Wisconsinites and Americans in all parts of the country and every sector of society who know that enough is enough. The "golden hour" to pass transformational reform that includes a public plan option, is here and the clock is ticking.
- Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, represents Wisconsin's 2nd Congressional District. Baldwin serves sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee that is writing the largest portion of the health care reform legislation.
