Opinion :: Guest Opinions
Howard Dean, health care reform, and our community by Stephen L. Boswell, M.D.
President & CEO of Fenway HealthWednesday Oct 28, 2009 Former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean stopped by Fenway Health on Oct. 21 to deliver the keynote address on "The Health of Our Nation" at Fenway’s annual Board of Visitors meeting. His speech was followed by a panel discussion and, of course, his speech and the discussion centered around health care reform.
Governor Dean spoke about the human tendency to avoid taking stands on tough issues, like health care reform, and about how one of the biggest challenges to healthcare reform -- and indeed all reform -- is the fear of change. Governor Dean believes that providing choices -- including a robust public option -- is the best way to address this fear of change and create real health care reform.
Expanding health care coverage should go hand-in-hand with expanding American’s choices in terms of where they can receive care. Under the present system, some Americans are forced to wait months to see a doctor and others end up clogging up hospital emergency rooms, waiting to be seen for routine ailments.
According to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), America’s health centers serve 18 million people across the United States, including 1 out of every 5 low-income, uninsured persons. Health centers offer comprehensive, culturally competent care, in compassionate environments where quality is the highest priority. More often than not, health centers offer services at lower costs and with a more flexible appointment schedule and less wait time. The health center model of care has much to recommend, and expanding our existing health centers and opening new ones should be central to our national discussion about reforming the U.S. health care system.
"Access Granted: The Primary Care Payoff," a report issued by NACHC and the Robert Graham Center, shows substantial economic benefit and systemic cost savings associated with health center expansion. The report estimates that in 2019, such expansion could lead to $80 billion in overall health care costs savings as more patients are seen in health centers, leading to reduced hospitalization and emergency room use and lower third-party insurance expenditures. Health center expansion would also mean the creation of new, high-quality jobs, and increased economic activity in some of the hardest hit communities in the nation.
While there is no magical remedy that is going to solve the American health care crisis overnight, a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to health care reform can lead to lower health care costs and increased access to care for the people who need it most. Expanding health care coverage and enhancing the ability of the nation’s health centers to provide care should be a part of this approach.
Health care reform is one of the most important issues facing our country right now, and will likely impact each and every one of us in the years to come. Get involved and help make sure that the impact is a positive one. Call your Senators and Representatives and let them know where you stand on the issues.
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