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As Congress breaks for its summer recess and members return to their home districts for the next few weeks, it is clear that health care reform is at the top of their collective legislative agenda. The last of three House committees considering a health overhaul approved its bill on July 31, setting up the legislation for a floor vote in September. It is highly unlikely the Senate Finance Committee will complete its bill prior to the Senate’s August recess, leaving Senate staff and members the August recess to gauge their constituents support for reform and return in September to finish negotiations. The summer recess provides our legislators with an excellent opportunity to get first-hand feedback from the people who live in their districts. How does the American public feel about the ongoing national debate on health care reform? What are the biggest areas of concern? What are the most important areas of potential change for the majority of constituents? According to Sr. Carol Keehan, president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, “…it is more important than ever that our legislators know that getting health reform done right is a high priority of the American people. Done right means quality, affordable health care for everyone… in the critical areas of respect for the life and dignity of persons; quality, fair financing; and patient-centered care that is available and accessible to all.” I strongly agree with Sr. Carol’s sentiment; now is the time for our legislators to hear from us regarding health care reform. We know that constituent feedback is a key factor in any Senator’s or congressman’s decision to support or oppose legislation. To their credit, our elected officials have actively sought out our views and feedback on health care reform. So far this year, tens of thousands of Americans have attended hundreds of town hall meetings and other public events – including some hosted by CHE facilities - focused on the topic of health care reform. Public interest in this topic has never been higher. Health care reform has been the topic of cover stories for national magazines, the lead story on many national newscasts, a major topic of conversation and debate on television and radio talk shows, and the subject of countless letters to the editor and blogs from coast to coast. While we in the health care field understand and appreciate the need for health care reform, we know that there are coordinated, well-funded efforts underway by special interest groups who oppose health care reform. It is our job to ensure that we keep this topic “on the front burner” for the rest of the summer…and beyond. We need to be strong advocates for our colleagues, our patients, and our communities as this ongoing process reaches a crescendo. We need affordable health care for all Americans. We need to finally do something to substantially reduce or eliminate the travesty of 47 million Americans living without health insurance. We need health insurance reform that would prevent insurers from denying coverage due to preexisting conditions. We need a system that protects families from being one major illness or accident away from bankruptcy. We need a system that incentivizes preventive care. And we need a system that preserves the right of Americans to choose their own health care providers. According to every indication, Congress will be voting on health reform legislation as early as September. It behooves all of us to talk to our board members, Sponsors, colleagues and communities over the next few weeks about making sure that our legislators continue to hear from us on the need for health reform legislation. We know that there are honest disagreements about specific aspects of proposed bills, and everyone should be rightfully concerned about the cost of enacting comprehensive health care reform legislation. However, we should not lose sight of the cost of “doing nothing.” The worst thing we can do is to put off reform for another year, another time. We cannot afford a repeat of 1993, when the call for health care reform collapsed under the weight of partisan politics and special interest naysayers. Let’s take best advantage of the momentum for change. Contact your legislators this month and urge them to finish the job by enacting health care reform legislation that benefits all Americans, and helps us to continue our healing mission. Sincerely yours,
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