Healthcare reform in the Senate

Today the Senate intends to begin debate on reforming the healthcare system. The process will be long and complex, with endless negotiations and unpleasant compromises, but what matters in the end is that the Senate approves a measure that increases the number of people with medical coverage, that provides quality care, and that controls costs in the sector.

At this stage, the options are limited. On the one hand is the proposal passed by the House that expands coverage, regulates insurers so they do not reject patients, provides subsidies for premiums, creates an insurance exchange, and includes a public option as a last resort. On the other hand, Republican members of Congress have their own plan that limits patient lawsuits against care providers, creates savings accounts to pay for health expenses, and provides greater freedom to the insurance industry. The third option is to do nothing, which means higher costs and fewer people insured. The latter is not an option!

The status quo is unacceptable, and we reject changes in which expansion of coverage and protection of patients are not priorities. The reform bill passed by the House is unfair to the undocumented and more restrictive on family planning, but there will be a time and space in the process of reconciliation to correct the final plan. Now the goal is to get the 60 votes necessary in the Senate to be able to pass a reform bill with as few limitations as possible.

Healthcare reform is the only way to begin to approach the system to which we aspire, in which timely access to a doctor is not a luxury, an illness does not mean bankruptcy, and coverage is a universal right.

Today the Senate intends to begin debate on reforming the healthcare system. The process will be long and complex, with endless negotiations and unpleasant compromises, but what matters in the end is that the Senate approves a measure that increases the number of people with medical coverage, that provides quality care, and that controls costs in the sector.

At this stage, the options are limited. On the one hand is the proposal passed by the House that expands coverage, regulates insurers so they do not reject patients, provides subsidies for premiums, creates an insurance exchange, and includes a public option as a last resort. On the other hand, Republican members of Congress have their own plan that limits patient lawsuits against care providers, creates savings accounts to pay for health expenses, and provides greater freedom to the insurance industry. The third option is to do nothing, which means higher costs and fewer people insured. The latter is not an option!

The status quo is unacceptable, and we reject changes in which expansion of coverage and protection of patients are not priorities. The reform bill passed by the House is unfair to the undocumented and more restrictive on family planning, but there will be a time and space in the process of reconciliation to correct the final plan. Now the goal is to get the 60 votes necessary in the Senate to be able to pass a reform bill with as few limitations as possible.

Healthcare reform is the only way to begin to approach the system to which we aspire, in which timely access to a doctor is not a luxury, an illness does not mean bankruptcy, and coverage is a universal right.

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