I agree that there are a multitude of very serious problems with the Affordable Care Act; and some really hack me off and are outright frightening! That's what happens when politics is as corrupt as it is today in America.
Nonetheless it is important to acknowledge what an achievement this act represents in terms of making a significant change for many people who cannot afford health insurance as well as eliminate some of the unfair business practices of the insurance industry. These are steps in the right direction, something we haven't seen much of in decades. Yes, they come at a high price. Obviously people need and deserve healthcare, especially when there is an epidemic of chronic diseases and disparities that prevent accessibility. This desperate situation has had no solution because of the greed of corporate America and the lack of the American public to take action. Who really cares about service when profit is the bottom line? It seems Pogo was right...I'm afraid we have found the enemy!
While the Affordable Care Act is a step forward in providing healthcare for more people, it is clearly insufficient as real health care reform. It does not substantively transform healthcare from a sick care paradigm to a health care paradigm, and it is not integrative, holistic or person-centered. Even worse, healthcare in America is no longer affordable, is far too dangerous as a primary care system, and doesn't work so well because 50% of Americans continue to suffer from chronic diseases. We have fallen far short of getting "the change we need" with the Affordable Care Act.
Until we rise as a culture to a higher level of consciousness where service trumps return on investment, there's nowhere substantive to go. The change we need cannot be legislated; that can only come from inspiration and commitment. Social transformation that evolves beyond fighting is what I believe is called for. We need evolution, not revolution!
Naysayers should come up with solutions rather than just complaining; it is imperative that we work together to co-create a health care system that works for all Americans. I wrote A Return to Healing: Radical Healthcare and the Future of Medicine and hope everyone will take time to read it because it clearly delineates the problems we face in healthcare in America today, why they developed, and what we can do to correct them. It provides specific solutions that we and our leaders should be considering.
Dr. Len
