Health
Care Reform Update: Next Year We Do It All Over Again
by Alta Price, M.D.Every year before Passover starts I super-clean my kitchen, taking everything out of the cabinets and drawers, wiping out the cabinets and drawers, washing whatever was in them, throwing out the old stuff, moving the “hametz” to the basement, and then re-organizing it all as I put it back in. Not to mention cleaning the refrigerator, oven, cook-top, counters, ad infinitum.
I also tackle some other part of the house. This year I tried to do too much. I wanted to convert a “storage bedroom” full of Girl Scout/camping/Progressive Action supplies into a guest bedroom. That meant giving away some things, tossing others, and moving a lot of it to the basement. That led me to reorganize/clean the unfinished part of the basement. Since I store my tax files in the basement, and my recent tax files were in my study, that led me to organize part of my study, too.
Needless to say I am exhausted by six full days of super-cleaning. The house looks good (I should really have a party). For the eight days of Passover, I am just going to enjoy my neat house and munching matzot.
But, in about two weeks, the papers will start to pile up again. And in a month you’d never know I’d super-cleaned. And next year I’ll have to do it all over again.
What does this have to do with health care reform?
Well, we just spent the last year working really hard to get a health care reform bill through Congress. The struggle this year was grueling. But the final bill was a major accomplishment, of which we can be proud.
Right now we could all use a little break. We’ll be lucky to get eight days!
The anti’s are already out there protesting, the insurance companies are finding loopholes so they don’t have to insure sick children until 2014, and the Republicans are working to pick up seats in Congress so they can take away our hard-fought gains.
One of our biggest jobs next year will be to ensure that the provisions of the federal legislation are implemented fully and smoothly in our states. I will be happy to bring the health care reform fight back to Iowa from Washington. The closer to home, the more effective one can be in shaping policy.
And so health care reform, like cleaning for Passover, never really ends. Next year we’ll move back to the statehouse, just like next year I’ll choose a different room to organize and deep clean. We’ll keep an eye on Washington, of course, just as the kitchen always needs attention.
So we’ll work hard, take some time off to prevent burnout, enjoy our victories, and accept that the fight will never end.
Happy Passover!
Alta
Price is a physician practicing Pathology in Davenport, Iowa. One of
the original Deaniacs, she stays involved with Democracy for America,
Iowa, and the Quad Cities. She advocates for quality, affordable health
care for all, primarily as a volunteer with Progressive Action for the
Common Good (Health Care Reform Issue Forum). Watch for Dr. Price's
Health Care Reform Update every Tuesday here on Blog for Iowa. E-Mail Alta Price
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