Let’s be proud of the health-care debate, move forward

Dear Editor:

Health-care reform. Those are two words that have strong meaning and strong implications for the vast majority of Americans.

As a patient who cannot get affordable health insurance secondary to pre-existing conditions, these words offer both hope and fear. Hope in that the changes will allow obtainable and affordable health insurance once again and fear that the changes are not appropriate and will only make matters worse.

As a physician, to me those words also offer both hope and fear, but for vastly different reasons. Our health care system is admired and desired worldwide. However, it is flaw-laden. The problems are large and diffuse in both quantity and quality.

A public-option is not the answer to our problems, yet it continues to be the center of debate amongst those who have little-to-no experience in the health care realm. The government is feeling the pressure of millions of dissatisfied Americans but hastily making changes will not benefit anyone.

Government-run healthcare already exists. It exists in Medicare and Medicaid. It exists in the autonomy today’s physicians lack. Medicine has become a business run by politicians and lawyers. The patient and the physician are run by a set of guidelines and medical coding that do not benefit either party.

I’m not saying I have the solution to our nation’s healthcare issues, but there are things that can be changed to better the system. Those changes should focus on making healthcare affordable and should control the costs for businesses, the government, physicians, and patients alike. The physician/patient relationship already has enough strain.

A public option is not the answer. So instead of an option that would increase the deficit and a proposed bill that would penalize small businesses and the self-insured, let’s fix the real problem. Thus, when we hear the words “health-care reform,” citizens of this great country-physicians and patients equally – can be proud of the ensuing debate and outcomes.

Caren Carlyle, M.D.,

New Orleans, La.