Acknowledging that a legislative compromise is less than perfect need not derail what has been an essential step toward expanding access to all residents. But pretending it is more than it can be is a disservice.
There is much work to be done. The first step is acknowledging that Chapter 58 does some very important positive things but does little to address the roots of the problems with our health care delivery and financing systems.
Now that most of the access expansion details are on the table we know what we face. It’s time to join together, roll up our sleeves and fix a health care system that all to often falls short of its promise.
Barbara Waters Roop, PhD, JD
Please share widely!
and for readers who aren’t familiar with the vibrant health center that he is part of, click here to learn about the Codman Square Community Health Center in Dorchester. Community Health Centers are a great model and Codman is one that really rocks. There should be more like it.
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The above sentences came from what my community health nursing students had to say about the Codman center, its staff, and the community it’s a part of. We spent some time touring Codman’s impressive facility and talking with staff about their work promoting health, treating illness, and caring for community. A Physician’s Assistant who works in their Urgent Care clinic and a Registered Nurse who is involved with a cutting edge holistic approach to Diabetes Management and Prevention were great to make the expereince possible for us.
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Let’s get on with harnessing the momentum for health reform change in the Commonwealth. It’s folks like us who need to provide the grassroots political support to our legislators, to the Governor and to his Cabinet so they will make the needed improvements to the Chapter 58 reform law.
Bill Walzack summarizes succinctly and persuasively the failings of the state health care reform law (Chapter 58) in reforming our health care delivery and financing systems.
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I strongly suggest that Bay State residents concerned about the health care system and the new state health care law examine the fine financial and coverage print of the 7 state Connector Board-approved “minimally credible” private health insurance plans. These plans have been mischaracterized by their advocates on the Commonwealth Connector Board, Patrick administration officials such as John Kingsdale and Secretary of Administration and Finance Kirwan “minimally credible” in terms of their affordability and scope of coverage. The financial and coverage details of these 7 approved health plans can be found by reading the Recommendations for Health Insurance Carriers Word document on the Commonwealth Connector Web site at Website of Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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An analysis provided by the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) that I have published on my March 13 posting on the Blue Mass Group blog Blue Mass Group and posted in the comments section to Mr. Kingsdale’s and Ms. Kirwan’s self-congratulatory blog posts on WBUR’s CommonHealth Blogundermines the assertion of Kingsdale, Kirwan, and the proponents of these plans in the private health care industry that any of these health insurance plans are “minimally credible” in terms of affordability or sufficient scope of coverage for personal health care needs of working-class citizens of Massachusetts. Finally, the law’s requirement that a punitive state tax penalty be assessed on those uninsured Massachusetts residents who do not sign up for one of these 7 Edsel/New Coke health insurance plans constitutes the most outrageously regressive tax I have ever seen in twenty years of following state and national government affairs.
here’s the direct link to eddie’s recent post on MA health reform. It’s good. I thought it would be moved to BMG front page for timeliness and content. Then I thought this thread might be, for same reasons.
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If you’re following this HC topic you’ll want to check out the informative post “One Eye On Washington” along with a differently informative, and somewhat scary, reply on the BUR CommonHealth blog today. And Venocchi had an interesting OpEdtoday “A welcome advocate on healthcare” about Patrick’s role in MA HC Reform.
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Lastly, on a related note. It is discouraging that this blog seems to have changed tenor/character some over the past many weeks…I’ve noticed it as others have, and I too have had a hard time putting my finger on what it’s about. Hope it/we will regain it’s footing, BMG has proven it can be terrific resource for an informed engaged community.