How Healthcare Reform affects single moms

A recent Momversation brought up the question of why moms should care about healthcare reform.  The views, of course, are varied among both the panelists and the commenters.  Some moms feel very strongly against healthcare reform, others feel very strongly for healthcare reform and even feel like it doesn't go far enough.  One of the moms (Utah's own Heather Armstrong of Dooce.com) tells her experience of being denied coverage for herself, her husband, and their young daughter because of pre-existing conditions.

One of President Obama's campaign platforms was, of course, healthcare reform.

We will take steps to reform our system by expanding coverage, improving quality, lowering cots, honoring patient choice and holding insurance companies accountable.

Sounds great, right?  No one would argue that they don't want to improve the quality of care they and their families receive.  No one would argue that they want to pay more for healthcare.  No one would argue against patient choice.  So why the big debate?  The reason is that the current healthcare reform plan does more than just increase quality and decrease cost.

On July 26, 2009 Stephanie Schorow published an article (Health Care Reform: 6 ways It WIll Affect Women) on lifescript.com.  In her article, she points out the advantages and disadvantages of healthcare reform for women.  For single moms, or those moms becomming single, one advantage is that if the promises of healthcare reform are accurate, there will be greater insurance portability in the instance of divorce (or switching jobs, graduating college, etc).  The majoy disadvantage?  You may face a penalty if you elect to refuse insurance coverage.  Some single moms are on a limited income, and while their children are convered on their ex-husbands insurance, they have no coverage for themselves.  Ideal?  No.  But is forcing a single mom to incur one more monthly cost fair?  Also, no.

Schorow's 6 ways that healthcare reform will affect women are:

• You'll have insurance coverage Great! With 7 out of 10 working-age women lacking health insurance coverage, this is a positive aspect of healthcare reform.  This is also the part where penalities come in though, for both individuals and companies, for not getting or offering health insurance.  That aspect will have a negative impact on some single moms (and other Americans).
• Your health care costs may go down Sounds great, right?  Health care bills have increased 110% in the last 10 years, according to Families USA.  One of the ways proposed to decrease individual cost is to have a public program that would compete with private insurance companies; which, in theory, would create greater competition, thus encouraging coverage improvement and decreased cost.  President Obama argues that this competition will also keep private insurance companies honest.
• Your care may be micromanaged  Although President Obama honors patient choice, he has also said that under the new plan, Americans may "have to give up things that don't make them healthier."  This could mean that the government, not your doctor, would be deciding which medical tests were necessary and which seemed redundant.  Of course, to some extent, insurance companies today already do this, refusing coverage on tests and procedures they feel are redundant.
• You'll have access to standardized health care plans  Basic benefits under the new plan would be available to everyone, such as annual check-ups, emergency room visits, and possibly maternity services and mammograms. 
• You'll be able to shop around Under the new plan, moms should be able to comparison shop among private and public insurance companies for the best coverage for their families.
• If you run a small business, you may be required to provide health insurance to employees Single moms running their own businesses may be forced to close their doors if they are unable to afford health care insurance coverage for their employees, or the penalities associated with not providing health insurance.

So what is the best option?  My answer...I don't know.  I do feel that our current system allows insurance companies to have too much control over what, and who, is covered and what (and who) isn't.  But on the same note, they're a private business, and are in business to make a profit.  Should teh government be allowed to regulate that?  While, again, I don't feel is is fair, or ethical, for an insurance company to refuse to pay for some prescriptions, refuse coverage for some individuals, or override a doctor's recommendatin for a procedure or test by not paying for it, I don't think a public healthcare system is the answer...at least not the currently proposed one.  What is the answer?  I don't know...but I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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