Don’t do anything. That’s what naysayers are telling Congress about health care.
But if your health insurance premiums have spiked, if you’re a small business owner grappling with a lack of affordable options for coverage, if you’re constantly fighting with your insurance company, if you’ve been laid off and lost your insurance, or if you have crushing medical debt, you know that doing nothing is a dangerous proposition.
The same critics keep playing politics, trying to delay and derail. Big corporate interests are spending $1.4 million a day this year to stop reform. Because reform is not in their best interests, it’s in yours. They profit off the current system, while you suffer the consequences of the status quo. This isn’t a political game; it’s a life and death issue.
Some say slow down on reform, but that’s a political buzz word for stop. We can’t afford to stop. Because an average of 100 people a day lose their health insurance in Colorado, because premiums are skyrocketing, and because nearly one person a day dies in our state due to lack of adequate health coverage.
We can’t afford to stop. And here’s why:
The current system hampers doctors’ ability to deliver care. There is waste and inefficiency in the system that costs us all money and should be turned into savings.
The reality is the current system is levying a hidden tax on Colorado families to the tune of almost $1,000 per household each year. That’s what you’re paying, on average, in higher premiums, to make up for all the uncompensated care. We can pay up front by providing health care for everyone and working on prevention, or we pay for expensive emergency department visits, which does not address people’s long-term health and productivity.
If we do nothing, the insurance premiums for a family of four will increase $1,800 each year. Thirty to 40 cents of each premium dollar you spend will go toward administrative costs and other inefficiencies in the system. And rising costs will continue to hurt our state economy.
For all these reasons, the health insurance reform bill in the U.S. House must be passed now. This legislation will make health care more affordable for everyone, lower overall costs, offer a public option for consumers, guarantee that you can keep your current coverage if that’s what you want, stop insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions or gender, and ensure families have the choice and peace of mind they deserve when it comes to health care.
Reform has been on the table for 60 years but not yet delivered. Now is our chance. For the last two decades, we’ve known our system is failing individuals, families, communities and businesses. Insurance insiders and status quo supporters might not be ready for health reform, but families and businesses across the country have been ready for a long time.
Hollis Berendt is a Greeley small business owner. Brian Bacak is a doctor from Denver.
For a list of organizations and individuals co-signing this guest commentary, go to .
