Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will include plenty of time to think about California's pressing health-care needs before he releases a reform plan this month. Of course, as governor, he has no doubt has access to the best insurance plans the state lavish on its employees. And as a millionaire many times over, he can get care above and beyond what any plan has to offer.
Even for Californians with good jobs, health-care access doesn't approach cheap. With premiums increasing at double-digit rates as well as escalating deductibles and shrinking benefits packages just staying healthy is becoming an increasingly unaffordable challenge. For millions of Californians without coverage, the situation is yet worse.
For many, an accident like the one that befell the governor in Idaho last month would result in innumerable, agonizing hours waiting in an emergency room, followed by a sharp bill that would either bankrupt the patient or effect in yet higher rates for those of us who are insured. Schwarzenegger understands this, which is why he has promised to build health-care reform the centerpiece of his 2007 agenda. And we can expect that the spirit of cooperation that captured Sacramento this past fall will maintain, resulting in real progress headed for increasing health-care access for all.
First is that the health care discuss will touch on some politically sensitive areas such as taxes, immigration, regulations and personal responsibility issues that clash up against some of the ideological pet causes of the political parties. Whether the politicians will mind more about improving health care or their blessed cows remains to be seen.
Over the next few months, Schwarzenegger is going to face the intimidating challenge of molding whatever plan he propose so that it not only works, but also can endure the Sacramento political process and not alienate too many of his key followers. But then, essential work never is. And Schwarzenegger, who is at the compassion of the doctors who are caring for him, must know as well as anyone how important a performing medical system is.
Even for Californians with good jobs, health-care access doesn't approach cheap. With premiums increasing at double-digit rates as well as escalating deductibles and shrinking benefits packages just staying healthy is becoming an increasingly unaffordable challenge. For millions of Californians without coverage, the situation is yet worse.
For many, an accident like the one that befell the governor in Idaho last month would result in innumerable, agonizing hours waiting in an emergency room, followed by a sharp bill that would either bankrupt the patient or effect in yet higher rates for those of us who are insured. Schwarzenegger understands this, which is why he has promised to build health-care reform the centerpiece of his 2007 agenda. And we can expect that the spirit of cooperation that captured Sacramento this past fall will maintain, resulting in real progress headed for increasing health-care access for all.
First is that the health care discuss will touch on some politically sensitive areas such as taxes, immigration, regulations and personal responsibility issues that clash up against some of the ideological pet causes of the political parties. Whether the politicians will mind more about improving health care or their blessed cows remains to be seen.
Over the next few months, Schwarzenegger is going to face the intimidating challenge of molding whatever plan he propose so that it not only works, but also can endure the Sacramento political process and not alienate too many of his key followers. But then, essential work never is. And Schwarzenegger, who is at the compassion of the doctors who are caring for him, must know as well as anyone how important a performing medical system is.
posted by renaa
@ 2:30 PM
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