ArchivesSeventy-two percent of the American people support a robust public health insurance option that is available to everyone. A public option is good for our families, is good for the American economy and is supported by the American public.
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The current system is broken. Today, skyrocketing health care costs continue to crush the pocketbooks of our families and businesses. Far too many others in our country continue to go without basic health coverage, posing public health risks and driving up the costs for everyone. Finally, our current system is not comprehensive, as it fails to address the health care needs of racial, ethnic and other minorities.
The current system is not affordable for our families. Health care premiums have doubled over the past nine years, three times faster than wages have increased. A daunting 60 percent of U.S. bankruptcies were due to medical costs in 2007. The goal of President Barack Obama and our goal is the same: It is to ensure high-quality, affordable health care for all.
The two of us are supporters of the single-payer approach. However, we acknowledge the current political realities of health care reform. We praise Obama and the congressional leadership for their commitment to reduce health care costs for families, businesses and government — and a public option would do just that.
Private insurance companies would be forced to compete with an affordable, high-quality option. We would expand choice in the health insurance market, while allowing families to keep the health care plans they like. By increasing choice and competition, we would be able to lower costs for all.
The current system is inefficient, as it fails to provide health care coverage to close to 46 million people, including eight million children. Failure to cover the uninsured further drives up our health care costs. The uninsured are less likely to visit the doctor regularly and less likely to receive quality primary-care and preventive services. These are crucial to assessing and managing major health risks. The uninsured have a 25 percent higher mortality risk and higher rates of death from preventable illness than the insured.
We must expand coverage under a strong public option, as it would increase access to primary and preventive care, which would in the long run lower costs. This is particularly critical when we look at the racial and ethnic health disparities among the uninsured population.
The current system also fails to provide high-quality care for all, particularly for ethnic and racial minorities. In communities as diverse as the Asian, Hispanic, African diasporas and Native American communities, cultural and language barriers pose a challenge to providing high-quality care for all.
The lack of medical interpreters and translators often leads to devastating consequences, including misdiagnosis or mistreatment, or places young children in immigrant families in the awkward position of providing medical translations. We know that private providers and insurers have for the most part failed to meet the needs of these underserved communities. A robust public option that reflects sensitivity toward these diverse populations offers us the opportunity to get it right.
In our roles as chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, we are working intimately with our colleagues in the Congressional Black and Hispanic caucuses to ensure that the needs of the most underserved and vulnerable populations in our country are met during the health care debate.
These four caucuses are standing united in support of a robust public health insurance option that is available to all and that is linked to an existing federal provider network. Together, we make up 112 votes in the House of Representatives and five votes in the Senate. We stand united with 72 percent of the American people in support of meaningful reform that includes a robust public option that is available to all.
America can do better to provide affordable and quality care for those on her shores and her territories. A strong public option is a critical component of health care reform, ensuring affordability and expanding health care coverage to all, and it will be critical in addressing all health disparities. America deserves a health care system that enables everyone to live a healthier and happier life.
(Editor’s note: Rep. Raul M. Grijalva is co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Rep. Mike Honda is chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.)
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deron wrote on Jul 11, 2009 3:25 PM:
The 46 million uninsured who are shut out from obtaining medical treatment will have free access, as is their right. Profiting from insuring medical care is outrageous. We elected the president and congress to provide the free care they promised, and we want it now. It MUST BE DONE NOW, this year! "
Donald wrote on Jul 9, 2009 4:07 PM:
As for Raul Griijalva, well his record speaks for itself. His pro amnesty/open borders activism and legislating record exposes his re-conquista motivations.
As Sen Charles Schmer said during a recent speech "... the vast majority of Americans oppose illegal immigration..." This coming from one of the primary proponents of Amnesty aka Comprehensive Immigration Reform. "
dr wrote on Jul 3, 2009 1:37 PM:
I don't believe that the American system is all that messed up. Of the 50 million or so that do not have heath care coverage, fully 2/3 are under the age of 25 and prefer not to have medical coverage deducted from their checks. It is their freedom of choice. Under the proposed action, penalties may be applied to individuals who do not have, at a minimum, the government sanctioned coverage. What happened to the freedom of choice? Gone. For the good of the masses, I guess.
Under the existing conditions, do those that don't have coverage routinely get turned away from health care providers? No. Our system treats anyone who passes through the door, whether they have insurance, another means to pay for it or even if they have illegally entered the country. Is it a perfect system? Of course not and it can be improved. But not by these knuckleheads.
Those that prefer that the government control the reigns of our medical industry are about to get their wish. It will be pushed through both houses in some convoluted form before the end of the year. Open your wallets and purses fully and be prepared for a liberal fleecing by the man in the empty suit. I would warn that the old saying of, "Be careful of what you ask for", certainly applies here. "
jacksmith wrote on Jul 1, 2009 10:52 AM:
It’s official. America and the World are now in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. A World EPIDEMIC with potential catastrophic consequences for ALL of the American people. The first PANDEMIC in 41 years. And WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES will have to face this PANDEMIC with the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed World.
STAND READY AMERICA TO SEIZE CONTROL OF YOUR NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
We spend over twice as much of our GDP on healthcare as any other country in the World. And Individual American spend about ten times as much out of pocket on healthcare as any other people in the World. All because of GREED! And the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare system in America.
And while all this is going on, some members of congress seem mostly concern about how to protect the corporate PROFITS! of our GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT NATIONAL DISGRACE. A PRIVATE FOR PROFIT DISGRACE that is in fact, totally valueless to the public health. And a detriment to national security, public safety, and the public health.
Progressive democrats the Tri-Caucus and others should stand firm in their demand for a robust public option for all Americans, with all of the minimum requirements progressive democrats demanded. If congress can not pass a robust public option with at least 51 votes and all robust minimum requirements, congress should immediately move to scrap healthcare reform and request that President Obama declare a state of NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY! Seizing and replacing all PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance plans with the immediate implementation of National Healthcare for all Americans under the provisions of HR676 (A Single-payer National Healthcare Plan For All).
Coverage can begin immediately through our current medicare system. With immediate expansion through recruitment of displaced workers from the canceled private sector insurance industry. Funding can also begin immediately by substitution of payroll deductions for private insurance plans with payroll deductions for the national healthcare plan. This is what the vast majority of the American people want. And this is what all objective experts unanimously agree would be the best, and most cost effective for the American people and our economy.
In Mexico on average people who received medical care for A-H1N1 (Swine Flu) with in 3 days survived. People who did not receive medical care until 7 days or more died. This has been the same results in the US. But 50 million Americans don’t even have any healthcare coverage. And at least 200 million of you with insurance could not get in to see your private insurance plans doctors in 2 or 3 days, even if your life depended on it. WHICH IT DOES!
If President Obama has to declare a NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY to rescue the American people from our healthcare crisis, he will need all the sustained support you can give him. STICK WITH HIM! He’s doing a brilliant job.
THIS IS THE BIG ONE!
THE BATTLE OF GOOD Vs EVIL!
Join the fight.
Contact congress and your representatives NOW! AND SPREAD THE WORD!
God Bless You
Jacksmith – WORKING CLASS "