Really? 2009 Is Almost Done?

This has been a big year for the Archimedes Movement. When the year began we were advocating for Oregon legislation that would align with our principles, such as fairness, equity, inclusion, and all the others. Working with partners and allies, our efforts resulted in a path to affordable health insurance for all Oregonians with stated objectives of improved health, reduced cost and better outcomes – WOW! We are way beyond the U.S. Congress and its limited debate on health insurance reform.

We told our legislators that it wasn’t enough to wait until people got sick and then pay for them to get medical care. We don’t want any Oregonian to lose a job, a home or his or her life because insurance isn’t affordable. But in addition, we want to get and keep people well, so that we actually transition over time to a system that supports health as well as providing care in times of illness.

When Oregon House Bill 2009 was passed earlier this year we had reason to be excited because Oregon was – and remains – ahead of the nation in its progress. Last week, listening to members of the newly formed Oregon Health Policy Board talk about their charge at their first public meeting, I was amazed to hear them talk about health and measurable outcomes. It was because of you that these appointed board members said things like: “While focusing on the social determinants of health may be beyond the scope of this board, it is the frame within which the Oregon Health Policy Board is working.” Your voices are being heard.

As we look forward to 2010, we have so much work to do and we will need your help again. We are not done, even if President Obama signs a federal health insurance reform bill. It is easy for opponents of reform to erode support by planting fear in every sound bite. And it will be easy for supporters to check health reform off of their virtual to-do list and move on to something else that is pressing. We have to keep remembering how much more we need to do. A lot can happen in Congress before one American gets access to the affordable health insurance that Congress is talking about (the House bill implements insurance reform in 2013; the current Senate proposals don’t kick in until 2014). We will be pushing for implementation dates to get moved closer – there is no rational reason to wait four or five years to implement these reforms. Just the other day, Evan Saulino, MD, mentioned to me that Medicare was implemented nationwide in 15 months, before the advent of computers and connectivity. We can do better!