What's in it for me?

As people around the country watch Congress debate health reform proposals, a question going through many people's minds is, "What will health reform do for me?" 

The notion that only the poor lack access to health care is simply false. Case in point: In the last two years, nearly 87 million Americans under 65 - one out of three people - were uninsured at some point according to a recent Families USA report.

Not having access to health insurance - whether it's due to job loss or affordability - is a scary thing. Yet including certain provisions in health reform could change things. By including an "exchange" (a.k.a. a marketplace), people could compare and buy insurance plans at more affordable prices, thereby helping middle class Americans who are struggling to make ends meet.  It would also help small business workers and entrepreneurs who currently have limited health coverage options. 

For those with a sound health care plan now, health reform would give them the flexibility to change jobs without fearing that they will lose or be denied coverage-- even if they have a pre-existing condition.    

A recent NPR story reports that middle class families across the country are losing coverage and seeking care at clinics that accept people without insurance.  Dr. Kim McDermott, a pediatrician at one of these clinics, said,

More patients who I would consider middle class are coming, and we didn't use to see that. We were more a safety net for the poorest families in our state.  But lately I've seen more and more patients who had insurance and have lost it.

Health care costs are growing, and unfortunately will continue to grow.  While health reform will slow down this growth, the fact is it will not reverse the trend.  What health care reform will reverse, though, is the increase in the number of middle class families losing their insurance and thus being unable to afford to see a doctor.