Congressman Sander Levin

I held the second Congressional Health Care Roundtable on Saturday, March 28th, 2009 in Southfield.  I was joined by 10 people from a broad range of backgrounds eager to share their experiences and suggestions for reform. 

At this discussion, people spoke about the shape of a new system and the need to make sure every person is covered.  We discussed that the term “universal” means everyone has access to affordable health care and not the system in which that is achieved, ie through a private system, a public-private system or a single-payer system..

One gentleman shared a story about a small business he owned and a young employee who was not aware of his asthma condition until he had to make a visit to the emergency room.  The gentleman said this debate over healthcare reform really asks the question, “What kind of society are we going to be?”  This led to a discussion of how there needs to be an effort to increase preventative medicine.
 
One gentleman commented that with more and more employers eliminating health care coverage and also increasing the costs for employees, reform to the system is definitely needed.  Another topic that was touched on was the issue of pre-existing conditions.  One woman shared how her disabled son’s pre-existing conditions prevented her from accessing private insurance that she could afford.

I found the discussion to be very productive and was again struck by the passion, sincerity, and willingness of participants to share very personal experiences.  I look forward to future meetings where I can hear from more people.