...we need affordable healthcare.
I live in Mike Michaud's district in Maine. I wasn't sure what his current position was on the healthcare debate, so I checked his website.
"Tonight, the President laid out where he is and what he expects from Congress when it comes to health care reform. I agree with him that the status quo is unacceptable and that we must move forward with meaningful reform.
"I support the President’s two overriding health care reform goals – bringing stability and security to Americans who have insurance today, and affordable coverage to those who don’t. I also support his goal of promoting fiscally responsible reforms that will reduce the skyrocketing growth in the cost of health care. Mainers that I have met with want reform, but they don’t want it to break the bank.
"I am hopeful that the President’s call to action brings those with differing views together to craft a plan that combines the best of the proposals suggested so far. But as the President knows, the devil is truly in the details.
"Over the last few weeks, I talked to a lot of Mainers about health care reform during meetings, roundtables, and telephone town halls. Families, individuals, small businesses, and health care providers all raised specific concerns they have with current reform efforts. Whether it’s making sure health insurance is more affordable or that rural areas and small businesses are treated fairly, Mainers have legitimate concerns that must be addressed in a final bill. We need reform, but we need it done right and we need it to work for our state.
"I hope that the President will continue to be engaged in the debate and the effort to reach a solution. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to accomplish meaningful, bipartisan reform."
After various threads here, the line about affordable health insurance set off alarm bells in my head. I promptly called Michaud's office and explained to the staffer who took my call that I had an issue with that line. Working for "affordable health insurance" missed the larger point that what we actually need is affordable healthcare. Better insurance plans may be a means to that end, but they're not the end in themselves, and focusing there may block better solutions.