|
Cutting preventive health services sets up greater cost to public |
|
|
|
By Kathy Tomlin
|
|
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 |
One of the most egregious cuts debated at the Minnesota Capitol were those that would strip services from General Assistance Medical Care, a health care program that serves very low-income persons. Thirty-two thousand people are on GAMC, some 350 are clients of Catholic Charities.
Faith and Justice
Kathy Tomlin
|
While the Pawlenty administration doesn’t propose cutting the whole program, many of its services would be eliminated, including in-patient hospital care, dental services, radiology, eyeglasses, occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy and audiology services.
Hospitals around the state acknowledge that there are 20,000 emergency
room visits for dental care each year — a number that will dramatically
increase if people are denied less costly preventive care. The Hennepin
County Medical Center estimates that the administration’s proposed
budget would have a $50 million annual impact on that facility alone.
As we wait to see just how widespread and dangerous this new flu strain
is, cuts to programs like GAMC take on a different light. In the middle
of a crisis — flu, stroke or heart attack — not having services
available is a critical issue.
Look for a better choice
It is understandable that the administration and legislators are
looking under every rock in order to find dollars in this tough
economic time. But cutting programs like GAMC hardly seem a good choice
for several reasons:
• Being eligible for a health care program that is so
limiting in terms of coverage seems contrary to our belief that people
should participate in the decisions that affect their lives. Having to
weigh whether I go to the doctor because the simple service I need as a
remedy is not available doesn’t honor basic human dignity.
• Limiting preventive care in favor of more extreme measures
is expensive — not only for the person who is sick, but for hospitals
and eventually those who will pay a higher property tax bill and higher
co-pays and premiums to their private health insurer.
• The common good isn’t protected, especially in light of
the current flu pandemic threat, if people can’t get the health care
they need.
Cuts don’t address problems
While it is true that the cost of health care is adding to the state’s
financial woes, cutting those with the fewest resources from access
to health care doesn’t seem to address the real heart of the problem.
After spending a couple of hours in the emergency room because of a
fall in February, I have a thick stack of statements, bills and “this
is not a bill” statements from two insurance companies and several
different providers. Surely, a more substantive reform of health
care would provide greater budget relief than cutting services for
32,000 low-income people.
We need to get to the root causes of our health care emergency and stop cutting around the edges.
Kathy Tomlin is director of the Catholic Charities Office for Social Justice.
 |
Show/hide comment form