Senator's Column from Mike Johanns

July 7, 2009 We Can't Afford To Miss On Health Care Dear Nebraskans, As you may know, the Senate is close to finalizing legislation that will overhaul our health care system. Sides are being chosen, cost estimates are being discussed, and new fees and taxes are on the table. Many are trying to assess the real impact and identify the real need amid the wild rush to pass legislation. I hosted a series of discussions in Nebraska last week to do just that. I was able to hear first-hand the experiences and suggestions from Nebraskans directly involved with and affected by our health care system. Not surprisingly, great insight was shared by many who have been closely following this critical issue. Throughout the week, I held eight round table meetings with different groups representing many differing perspectives on health care reform. The purpose of these meetings was not for me to advocate a certain policy, but to hear from those with direct knowledge of how to improve a currently unsustainable system. Each meeting was uniquely informative, as the participants were able to offer thoughts and suggestions particular to their specific area. I was able to get a very clear idea of the access barriers facing the uninsured, the health insurance squeeze felt by businesses and their employees, and the challenges facing the health care delivery system. Health care providers discussed the low government reimbursement rates and the excessive hoops they must jump through in order to practice medicine. One of many comments that resonated with me was this: if every insurance company reimbursed at the government rates provided under Medicaid and Medicare, quality care would be reduced at nearly every American hospital. This hit very close to home after I visited Children's Hospital in Omaha. The technology, equipment, and expertise of the health professionals there are truly state of the art. Yet we risk sacrificing this tremendous health care asset and many others like it if we rush and get the legislation wrong. Many around the table expressed concern about a government-run option that takes away their right to choose a doctor and puts a federal bureaucrat in charge of decisions on medicine and treatment. These meetings reaffirmed that health care is far more complex than a group of statistics or a string of buzzwords. Any solution must take into account not only the uninsured, but the soaring costs for both consumers and health care providers. We must consider disabilities and mental illnesses, which require a different approach from other health problems. But I also heard loud and clear that we must be careful not to take away their choices or limit their access to such tremendous facilities like Omaha Children's Hospital. We cannot afford to rush to a wrong and costly decision.