Denise Duncan Pens Article on Health Care Reform Debate
July 2017
Health Care Reform: Keep What’s Working and Fix What’s Wrong
by Denise Duncan, RN
July 27, 2017
On July 25, the U.S. Senate voted to begin debate on a bill that most had not yet read. Since then, they’ve voted on and rejected two amendments, both of which are bad for patients, bad for caregivers and bad for America.
As a nurse, I know a different side of health care than the one being debated. Cutting access to health care for tens of millions of Americans doesn’t eliminate the uninsured patients’ need for care. They just delay seeking care, many times until it is too late. A delay in diagnosis and treatment can impact recovery, quality of life and often the ability to remain employed.