By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
There are times when life-altering decisions must be made. We know some of them. If you have lived as long as I have, you probably know all of them.
In making the decisions, we wrestle with our conscious. It is a tug of war and sometimes it involves life and death. At other times, it will involve right and wrong.
Leaders must make decisions based upon the people they represent. The environment they work in also plays a role. The question is if it is a toxic atmosphere, will they succumb to it? Simply put, some do and some don’t.
Those that do go along to get along. They are a bit nervous and on edge afraid they will no longer be a part of the in crowd. They’ll be ostracized and will go from the A list to the Z list.
Those that don’t garner the admiration and respect of their constituents and the electorate. Behind closed doors, the weak hearted also applaud their courage and resolve.
Standing strong in right when the majority is sitting in wrong takes gumption and fortitude.
For the past several months healthcare for Americans has been a topic for lawmakers. The conversations were tense, terse, and heated. At issue is the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare. The very name “Obamacare” has rattled some in political office. They don’t like it however those who put them in office love it. Their reluctance is also because of their relationships with drug companies. They are receiving large donations for their campaigns.
According to an ABC News report, “An estimated 22 million of the 24 million ACA marketplace enrollees are currently receiving enhanced premium tax credits to lower their monthly premiums, and many are preparing to see their premiums soar in 2026.”
Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.) said, “The public now gets that the subsidies are what’s keeping health care costs down. So I think they will blame the party in charge.” I agree with those comments. Rep. Bera is a medical doctor.
However, I don’t think the other side as currently constructed cares. Their votes and actions signify that they fall short on compassion.
Healthcare is a necessity in our lives. No matter what our age, we need it from the youngest to the oldest. When we were young, we didn’t know we had it because our parents paid for it. Having a job as adults gives us health insurance at a cost. It’s not free.
Some countries like Canada and France provide its citizens with free or reduced health care. There are flaws in their healthcare systems, however the conversations about it have not been contentious and cantankerous.
Will this country ever have similar systems? Probably not because of the billions made by the insurance companies. It is my opinion that paying for it is imbedded in the American way of life. We don’t have a willingness to change it so tweaking the current system is about the best that we are going to do.
Fox News has an online headline that reads, “Expired Obamacare subsidy deal inches toward Senate floor vote amid bipartisan talks.” A group of senators from both sides have been meeting to solve this healthcare problem.
More specifically, Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) are spearheading this effort. Senator Collins said, “Parts of the bill are similar to what Senator Moreno, and I proposed originally with a two-year extension with some reforms in the first year and then more substantial reforms in the second year.”
Let’s stay tuned to this proposal as it may signal that some of our elected officials really want to help us. It is clear and not cloudy that our healthcare system is broken and needs a fix now. People are hurting because our healthcare is being compromised. Elected leaders, we know that you know a lot so now we want you to care a lot.