Get It Right or Pay the Price

No doubt, it was politically shrewd of President Barack Obama to set a goal for Congress to vote before it recesses in August on health care legislation. His ambitious intention reinforced a much deserved sense of urgency among citizens and politicians alike to take a hard look at a health care system in need of repair.

However, Americans can appreciate the enormity of such an undertaking, the importance of getting it right the first time and the reality that it will likely take more than a summer to rebuild our broken system -- especially if we do it correctly and effectively.

If Congress fails to act before it recesses, the delay in feeling the reform's impact should be minimal. As it stands, the majority of the reform's policies wouldn't be enacted for a handful of years and the number of uninsured Americans isn't expected to change until 2013. Ninety-nine percent of the associated expenses are expected to be incurred between 2013 and 2019. In other words, less than 1 percent of the spending will occur in the next four years.

We have time to get it right.

These things are true: The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, will cost approximately $1.04 trillion. By 2019, it is expected that 97 percent of Americans will have health insurance, but the deficit spending from the program will surpass $200 billion annually. Also, once the programs start, the average insurance subsidy per enrolled American is expected to increase on average 5.5 percent every year. While this may be lower than in previous years, it is still significantly higher than the rate of inflation.

With such an extraordinary amount of money at stake -- as well as American lives -- Congress must give this reform effort all the forethought, planning and critical thinking it deserves.

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Doug Ulman

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Get It Right or Pay the Price