While the fate of Obamacare subsidies hangs in the balance pending an expected vote in Congress next week, a progressive advocacy group is seeking more comprehensive reforms to the health care system.
Universal health care bills co-sponsored by Democrats in April were among the topics discussed at a health care listening session held by the nonprofit One People's Campaign [OPC] on Thursday at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Bloomington.
OPC Leader Rachel Shively said the listening session was intended to bring together people that expressed interest in improving the health care system.
Bloomington resident Michelle Purkes said she attended the session because of rising medical costs. Purkes is unemployed. She said treatment for a chronic medical condition forced her to tap into her retirement fund despite being enrolled in a medical insurance benefit known as COBRA. Under COBRA, participants are responsible for paying the entire premium.
"I pay $600 a month for my premium, and my deductible is $4,000," Purkes said, adding she doesn't see a path toward retirement in the U.S. "I have $1,500 in medical bills. I'm not sure what else they want from me."
While single-payer health care dominated the conversation, participants stated what health care reform meant for them: affordable medications and care, a unified patient record system, and support for higher education for medical professions.
Unitarian Universalist Church member and chair of the listening session Julie Prandi said their ideal is not "pie in the sky" despite what was appear to long odds in Congress.
"We just have to get organized," she said. "If we work towards it, we can do it. I guess, what are the odds of any change happening? And if you just sort of throw up your hands and say, "Oh, it's never going to happen, it's an insurmountable obstacle,' then of course by definition you haven't tried."
The group may or may not decide to build a campaign around the bills. That depends on the outcome of the listening sessions which includes discussions in other parts of the state.
Shively said the way forward toward a health care system that people need will require a fight for those ideals.
"Imagining the health care system that we want, I think a lot of people in this listening session tonight would agree that guaranteed health care for all residents of the US should be a human right," she said.
