Affordable, Accessible Health Care is a Common Good

By John W. Bluford, President/CEO - Truman Medical Centers; Board of Trustees – American Hospital Association

You can’t pick up the newspaper or turn on the radio these days without hearing something about “universal health insurance” or the need in America for socialized medicine.

In my view, the discussion first must focus on the notion of accessible, affordable health care being a common good, in the same way that a drivable highway system and an effective school system are part of the common good.

Secondly, we must understand that the cost of poor healthcare – just like ill-kept roads and ineffectual classrooms – is expensive to all of us. Virtually every social problem in one way or another can be linked to how well these systems and institutions are functioning.

Founded on these two premises, I believe our society must quickly change the historical status quo about health care. The solutions are complex, but there should be a few undisputed givens:

• We need to implement a basic healthcare coverage policy for all Americans, assuring access for all, paid by all. That access includes specialized services as appropriately needed.
• People belonging to racial and ethnic minority groups do not live as long as those in America’s mainstream. As health care providers, we need to understand cultural differences and adapt our services and delivery to meet the needs of a wider range of patients. Hiring a more diverse healthcare workforce will be very helpful in this regard.
• Wellness and prevention need to become part of our lifestyle from birth to death. This means family, community, school and employers all need to be engaged. In particular, new focus must start in promoting healthy pregnancies and newborns. A key should be using pre-natal visits as opportunities to teach health literacy and lifelong healthy lifestyles. A national investment in school-based clinics would also be helpful.
• In addition to more appropriate funding for safety net providers, better funding is needed for public health, dental health, and mental health services. A holistic approach to the health of our nation is warranted.
• And lastly, personal responsibility is critical in the affordability of health care costs today. Frequent exercise, eliminating tobacco use, eliminating trans fats in food preparation, weight reduction, as well as receiving recommended screenings and immunizations are a few things necessary to help ensure a healthier existence.

In reality, the job of paying for adequate healthcare for all of our country’s citizens is possible. But solving the current crisis in our health care system – rapidly rising costs and dwindling access – requires replacing the current "ethic of individual rights" with an "ethic of the common good". We need the political will to change our thinking, and a collective attitude to make it happen on a political, public policy, and individual basis.

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