The Uninsured - Which Way Forward?

I happen to know quite a few small business owners, and a major area of concern for most of them is their ability to continue to provide affordable health insurance for their employees. According to the Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF), over 1 million people are uninsured in the State of Virginia, which is roughly about 14 percent of the residents of the Commonwealth. I applaud the VHCF, the Virginia Association of Free Clinics, including our very own Loudoun Community Free Clinic for their continued commitment and service to the uninsured residents of this state.

In my opinion, access to good affordable healthcare should be one of the most important priorities for any government, be it Local, State or Federal. As we are getting ready to elect state senators later this year, I decided to check out the websites of the two leading candidates for my senatorial district, the incumbent, Democrat Mike Herring, and Republican John Andrews, I did not see any information on what plans they have to decrease the number of uninsured residents in our district.

At this time, California, Tennessee and Massachusetts are regarded nationally as leaders and innovators when it comes to "concrete plans" to decrease the number of the uninsured. In my humble opinion, I would recommend that our elected leaders consider the Tennessee plan called the CoverTN. CoverTN is designed to provide basic healthcare coverage to those who otherwise could not afford coverage. It is a limited–benefit health insurance plan that provides low-cost coverage for basic medical services. It is by no means perfect, but by all accounts, it is practical and much better than the status quo.

If you agree we need to act, please email our elected representatives and ask what he or she plans to do this year to assist the uninsured. It is our collective responsibility. The number of uninsured is predicted to grow significantly by 2010, as more employers reduce or completely terminate coverage. Please share your thoughts - how do you think we can reduce the increasing number of the uninsured in our community?