It’s all about healthcare access

Let me clarify why I feel the Congress has created a “smoke screen” to the American people. Congress created the Affordable Care Act. It was focused on healthcare insurers, not the actual care given. Even Medicare focuses on reimbursement through insurers.

In the past, insurance companies had free reign. They could charge what they wanted, and not tell consumers what they would pay for care until after the care was given. They denied care or canceled care if you were too ill or used too many resources.

In the 1980s, DRGs were created to reign in healthcare costs. They did. Then performance-based reimbursement was created. Yet, these were all created to reduce cost, and increase quality and positive outcomes.

Both the ACA and the current proposed Republican plan affect the insurer.

When the members of Congress talk about the ACA and the new proposal, they infer that this is about healthcare. In reality, it is about access to healthcare. Insurance is necessary for the patient to access healthcare. The insurers need to be controlled as they are in it for profit. The American people need protection.

Members of Congress presenting their proposals as healthcare are just using it as a smoke screen to cloud the real issues. Healthcare insurers do not want to be controlled in any way. They want big profit.

Please ask your representatives in the Congress to support and protect the American people by creating an affordable way to access the care needed.

This story was originally published June 14, 2017 at 6:00 AM with the headline "It’s all about healthcare access."