Denver Daily News: DeGette pushes for health care for all

April 8, 2009

DeGette pushes for health care for all
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
By: Peter Marcus
Congresswoman Diana DeGette yesterday made her case foruniversal health care, arguing that the current system is "morallyunacceptable."
Speaking to the City Club of Denver, the Democratic congresswoman fromDenver said any health care reform that the country adopts must coverevery American, must be affordable and it must be portable, pointing tothe 47 million Americans, including 800,000 Coloradans who do not havehealth insurance.

DeGette pushes for health care for all
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
By: Peter Marcus
Congresswoman Diana DeGette yesterday made her case for universal health care, arguing that the current system is "morally unacceptable."
Speaking to the City Club of Denver, the Democratic congresswoman from Denver said any health care reform that the country adopts must cover every American, must be affordable and it must be portable, pointing to the 47 million Americans, including 800,000 Coloradans who do not have health insurance.
"The United States remains the only industrialized nation in the Western world that still doesn't guarantee health care for all its citizens," said DeGette. "I have a simple message: this is morally unacceptable."
Three-pillar system
The congresswoman called for a three-pillar system:
• One that covers everyone, perhaps modeled after the health insurance plan offered to federal employees;
• One that is affordable, with a focus on preventative care, improving information technology and allows the federal government to negotiate prescription drug prices;
• And one that is portable, or remains with individuals whether they lose their job or move to another state.
"Some say that this recession is the wrong time to confront this challenge," said DeGette. "On the contrary, it is precisely the right time. Because, in the short-term, millions of jobs at risk means health care for millions at risk. And, over the long-term, we will never achieve our full economic potential as a nation if we don't free ourselves from the ball and chain of a dysfunctional health system."
Horror stories
The congresswoman spoke of her own sister's family — insured, middle class with two kids, paying monthly premiums of $1,100. But when DeGette's nephew had a skateboarding accident, the insurance company rejected the claim because they didn't get pre-approved for the emergency room visit.
She also spoke of a mother in her district who belongs to Metro Organizations for People. Susan Molina is a single mother who took a job as a janitor when her abusive husband left her. Her two children were covered by Colorado, CHP+. But when Molina was promoted to manager, her salary increase disqualified her for Colorado Medicaid. Unfortunately, the single mother also didn't make enough money to pay for private insurance.
When her son got the flu, she was unable to bring him to the doctor, having to settle on chest rub and cough medicine at the pharmacy.
"No mother or father should ever have to feel like a failure because they can't care for their children," said DeGette. "No child should ever go without medical attention because their parents have to choose between food and health care."
Statewide health care tour
DeGette announced yesterday that she will launch a statewide health care tour to gather feedback on how the nation should reform its system. As the vice chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, which oversees health care issues, DeGette and members of her committee have the potential to bring about health care reform.
She said there will be no push for "socialized medicine," or a government-run health care system.
But the congresswoman added that reform must happen quickly if America is to go from an overall health care world ranking of 37th — below the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica — to a positive world ranking.
"Put simply, when it comes to health care, Americans pay so much more but get so much less," said DeGette.