Congressman Sander Levin

The first Congressional Health Care Roundtable, held on Friday, March 13, kicked off our efforts to bring people together in small groups to share ideas and concerns about reforming our nation’s health care system. The sixteen people who attended had a wide range of experience. They shared moving stories and excellent ideas for reform.

Many participants talked about their experiences losing health insurance coverage or struggling to afford the coverage they do have. One woman shared her story about becoming uninsured for the first time in her life when her husband lost his job at Ford. She said she was stunned to be in that position and that it made her realize how precarious life is for people without insurance. She said she thought about what would happen if she slipped on a patch of ice or had another accident. “One false move and you are destroyed,” she said.

Participants also shared their ideas for how to fix the system. Some participants said they thought it was inappropriate for health care to allow for profit-based organizations. One participant pointed out that we don’t consider it appropriate for other public services -- such as firefighting, sewer and water maintenance, or schools -- to be money-making opportunities. Reflecting on other participants’ experiences, one person said she doesn’t think it makes sense for insurance to be tied to a person’s job. One participant who runs a clinic for uninsured people said she supported going to a Medicare-for-all system that would guarantee that every person who have insurance coverage. Another participant said she was forced to pay $900 a month for insurance for herself and her son because her son has a kidney disease that counts as a pre-existing condition. I told the group that Congress is considering prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage or charging higher premiums based on people’s health status, as a part of health care reform.

I greatly appreciated the insight each participant contributed to the conversation. I look forward to holding the rest of the Roundtables and talking with more of you as Congress moves forward on health care reform.