A reminder from Sandy…

Even here in sunny California, it’s hard not to be focused on the aftermath of “Superstorm” Sandy and its impact on the East Coast.

One story to highlight, by comedian Rob Delaney, who has made a name for himself on Twitter @robdelaney. He references the story of NYU Hospital having to evacuate during the storm and blackout–including babies in the neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU). He considers that some of those babies, through no fault of their own, are likely poor enough to be covered by Medicaid. Read the whole thing on his site. he closes:

If we adopted vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s proposed budget, “federal spending for Medicaid would be 35 percent lower in 2022 and 49 percent lower in 2030 than currently projected federal spending.” This is a reduction of $810 billion over ten years. This concerns me, as I suspect incubators aren’t cheap, even if it’s a poor baby you’ll be putting in one.

If you’re worried about our nation’s debt, present and future, I have good news: that same Congressional Budget Office, again a nonpartisan organization, has shown – again and again – that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, will reduce the deficit.

I am of the opinion, as a dad, a husband (of a woman with reproductive organs), a tax payer, a voter and an American living inside a human body, that improving the mechanisms for delivering health care in this nation is as high a priority as we will ever have. Why? When you unshackle good, hard-working, kind, enterprising Americans from the fear that health care costs could bankrupt them, you will unleash an intellectual and economic force that will knock your socks right off your feet, whether you bought them at Brooks Brothers or Goodwill.

Kristine Kimmel, another comedic writer, references Delaney’s post, and also described her experience, and the importance of the Affordable Care Act:

I can attest that had we not had insurance coverage, we would’ve been hit with medical bills totaling nearly a million dollars. I’m not exaggerating, my husband and I added it up and it’s literally ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

There are more folks with their own Medicaid and NICU stories on Delaney’s Twitter feed. Useful reminders as we consider the future of health care.

Health Access California promotes quality, affordable health care for all Californians.