Barron County Democrats: Vinehout on Healthy Wisconsin Jan 2008

Senator Vinehout on Healthy Wisconsin bill: "I know we can get it done"

BARRON, January 7, 2008—Despite foggy weather, a few dozen concerned citizens attended the Barron County Democrat/ Barron County Farmers' Union town hall meeting on health care reform. The topic at hand was last year's "Healthy Wisconsin" plan, sacrificed during budget negotiations, but noted nationwide for its innovative ideas. State Senator Kathleen Vinehout, from Alma, a principle author of the bill, spoke as she presented a Power Point presentation on the topic. She challenged listeners to imagine receiving health care insurance not dependent on their full-time employment, but because they "simply exist," and called it a revolutionary idea in this country.

The Chetek Alert, Hay River Review and Rice Lake Chronotype covered the event. What follows are a few excerpts from the Chetek Alert article, by Rachel Westberg.

Senator Vinehout (pictured at left) emphasized the interconnectedness of the health care delivery and costs of everyone, saying that "Band-Aid" solutions would not do.

"We are all in the same boat together," said Vinehout. "If I get sick and I don't have health insurance, you are going to pay for it. If you go to the doctor and get sick, or wind up in the nursing home, I'm going to have to pay for it. What we do as individuals and as a society affects everyone collectively. When we think about the health-care problems, they won't be solved by one business or one person; it will be solved by looking at the common good. We are, number one, drowning in health-care costs."

In her presentation, Vinehout, who holds a doctorate in hospital administration, traced the development of the current crisis, and explained the differing strands of thinking, from the competition-oriented "magic of the marketplace" wishes of traditional Republicans to the single-payer, universal care solutions of Democrats. Vinehout added that Healthy Wisconsin sought to amalgamate the best of those ideas in order to deliver quality health care to the three million Wisconsin residents—self-employed and retired among them—who may not be able to afford today's costly insurance premiums and who make too much money to qualify for Badger Care.

Vinehout added that the plan will cut costs in a variety of ways, including: cutting waste and streamlining administration; lowering drug costs through bulk purchasing; discouraging inappropriate use of the emergency room; rewarding providers who deliver the most efficient and highest quality care; rewarding healthy lifestyles and preventive care; discourage duplication of expensive technology and facilities; and closely coordinate care for the chronically ill.

Vinehout encouraged the audience to talk to people about the savings to local government that Healthy Wisconsin would bring, if passed. People need to look beyond the fearful rhetoric of interest groups, for instance, that of the vocally opposed underwriters whose job it is to deny user claims.

"It was curious, to me, because immediately they saw their jobs going away," said Vinehout. "I don't want to put underwriters out of business, I just want to give them something socially useful to do, because I don't think denying care is socially useful. We know that if you get 10 people, two of them will be high risk. I want to tell the underwriters to go out into the population and find me those people who are going to use the care and bring them in. In the end, all of us are going to be better off for it."

The audience, including area health care reformer Dr. Fred Bannister, complimented the Senator on her plan, yet asked some gimlet-eyed questions, which Senator Vinehout answered forthrightly. You can read more about them in the hard-copy version of this week's Chetek Alert.

Photo credit: Rachel Westberg, Chetek Alert. Photo and excerpts used with permission of the Chetek Alert.