Guest Author
While the idea of a “Medicare for All” health care system may sound appealing to Floridians in theory, I fully recognize that the only legitimate path to improving our broken health care system in the immediate future is to amend the already existing legislation known as the Affordable Care Act.
Democrats and Republicans should be focusing on practical, patient-centered solutions, not tearing down our health care system and starting from scratch.
As an attorney in Florida, one of the biggest complaints I hear from my clients regarding health care is a lack of stability.
Millions of Americans may have access to health care as a result of the Affordable Care Act, but inaction by politicians in Washington have led to higher premiums and instability in the marketplace. With so many Americans depending on the protections provided by the ACA, inaction is political malpractice.
Floridians want to be able to predict and plan for their health care costs. The continued instability in Washington makes it practically impossible for families to prepare a realistic budget. Without the ability to project health care costs, families are left to guess, which is an unnecessary risk.
It’s well past time for our elected leaders to put partisanship aside and get to work on improving the Affordable Care Act. Floridians can’t afford to sit by and listen to theoretical debates about health care, while Washington ignores the real-world consequences of their inaction.
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Ashley-Britt Hanson is an appeals attorney in Jacksonville.
