Weighing the public option

Daniel Duffy, M.D. and dean of the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine in Tulsa

The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, a $1 trillion bill that will overhaul health care, making insurance available to and mandatory for all citizens, will go into effect in 2014.

As he signed the bill, Obama said, “The bill I’m signing will set in motion reforms that generations of Americans have fought for and marched for and hungered to see. Today we are affirming that essential truth, a truth every generation is called to rediscover for itself, that we are not a nation that scales back its aspirations.”

Oklahoma lawmakers are working on an opt-out bill that would disallow the law to compel any person, employer or health care provider to participate in any health care system. It would also prevent Oklahomans from being financially penalized if they choose not to purchase insurance mandated by the federal health care plan, according to its authors.

The opt-out legislation is expected to go before voters this summer.

The debate over health care reform has been heated, dividing the country into many camps: those in favor, those opposed and those who aren’t quite sure what the bill’s implications will be.

We’ve asked representatives from those camps, local health care experts and professionals, to comment on reform in these pages. Some are in favor, some are opposed and some are still trying to measure how the bill will affect Oklahoma’s citizens and business.

Here are their words.

Health care coverage for all

For years, St. John Health System has supported the efforts of the Catholic Health Association, American Hospital Association and many others to make health care coverage for all a reality.

With the House’s passage of the Senate reform bill, a historic and long-overdue step was taken toward achieving that worthy goal. St. John supports many of the intended reforms contained in the bill, including the goal to substantially reduce the number of uninsured Americans.

The legislation that was passed is far from perfect, but it is intended to expand health insurance coverage to 32 million more Americans and provide significant insurance market reforms.

The shortcomings within our health care system can no longer be ignored. Passage of the bill was only a first step in a long process to improve health care in the U.S. to make it more effective, affordable and available. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to further improve our health care system for the patients and communities we serve.

Lex Anderson is executive vice president and chief financial officer of St. John Health System.

Dollars and sense

The recently enacted federal health care reform legislation represents a major restructuring of our nation’s health care system.

The bill front-loads revenues and backloads spending. Taxes and fees begin immediately, but new subsidies would be deferred.

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