Health insurance coverage for Americans has worsened over the last eight years. At some point in the year, more than 40 million people were without health insurance and this trend will continue to grow if no concrete actions are taken to reverse it.
The high cost of various health services has led to part of the private sector ceasing to provide health insurance as an employee benefit. At the same time, many Americans are living on the edge, where an illness would be enough to push them into bankruptcy.
The Bush administration’s response was a recycled proposal; under the argument of offering choice to consumers, it was a bonanza for the private sector, in many cases at the expense of patients. Medicare reform is one example where drug benefits were expanded, giving the pharmaceutical industry all the advantages of controlling the market, and leaving the government powerless to negotiate prices.
For this reason, health care played a dominant role in the Presidential campaign. The incoming Obama administration is expected to approach health care reform with a view toward covering all Americans and controlling costs in this significant sector of the economy. The nomination of former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services is a good sign for the upcoming debate.
We are also encouraged by the movement in Congress to have the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) ready for Obama’s signature when he takes office. It is essential for this bill to eliminate the unfair five-year restriction so legal resident children and pregnant women can have access to the program.
More than one third of the Latino community lacks health coverage and a large part of this group is employed by small businesses. One of Obama’s promises to Hispanics—which should be part of the health care reform—is assistance to small businesses so they can provide health insurance as a benefit to their employees.
Beyond having health insurance, there is a marked disparity impacting Latinos’ access to health care and the quality of the health care they receive. Some of these challenges, like the language barrier, can be resolved with internal guidelines, while others require assessment within the framework of civil rights.
One alternative for addressing the disparities is the creation of a support system to evaluate and promote activities for those with low levels of education, limited English, and have economic barriers to health care.
We believe that access to quality health care is a basic human right. President Elect Obama must address this deficit in human infrastructure which is also a drain on the economy.
More than one third of the Latino community lacks health coverage and a large part of this group is employed by small businesses. One of Obama’s promises to Hispanics—which should be part of the health care reform—is assistance to small businesses so they can provide health insurance as a benefit to their employees.
Beyond having health insurance, there is a marked disparity impacting Latinos’ access to health care and the quality of the health care they receive. Some of these challenges, like the language barrier, can be resolved with internal guidelines, while others require assessment within the framework of civil rights.
One alternative for addressing the disparities is the creation of a support system to evaluate and promote activities for those with low levels of education, limited English, and have economic barriers to health care.
We believe that access to quality health care is a basic human right. President Elect Obama must address this deficit in human infrastructure which is also a drain on the economy.
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