Kansans are at a distinct disadvantage regarding the Affordable Care Act because the state is doing nothing to inform citizens of its implementation on the new health care exchanges. THE HEALTH care act has Republicans all in a tizzy, demanding its funding be taken away before they will vote to fund the federal government. SANDY PRAEGER, Kansas insurance commissioner, is the lone state official promoting the new health care act. Since mid-September she has been traveling the state explaining the online insurance marketplaces where individuals and businesses sign up to purchase insurance.
So instead of promoting a plan that helps the citizenry, the Brownback administration is sitting on its hands for the sole reason it hopes it fails.
The saying, “cutting off one’s nose to spite the face,” comes to mind to describe a needlessly self-destructive reaction to the situation at hand.
The biggest problem of not adequately informing Kansans of the new law is the lost opportunity for thousands to get health insurance — for many, the first opportunity in their adult lives.
Many states have invested in promoting the new laws, some with catchy names: Covered California, MNsure for Minnesota, Connect for Health Colorado, and my favorite, Kentucky’s Kynect.
If the ACA were to be stopped in its tracks, here are only a few of the services Americans have grown to love that would be halted:
* Medicare wellness visits;
* Discounts on prescription drugs as provided through the Medicare Part D program;
* The pre-existing condition insurance plan begun under the ACA that allows those with chronic conditions to receive health insurance;
* Coverage for children up to age 26; and,
* The loan repayment program for students attending medical school in return for them practicing in communities similar to Iola and other medically underserved communities.
Praeger maintains the new law doesn’t make any significant changes to those who have health insurance, but will make a world of difference for those who have never enjoyed its privileges.
It’s a secret we all should be let in on.
— Susan Lynn
Keeping Kansans in the dark won’t make care act go away
