This week President Obama delivered his fourth State of the Union address to Congress and, like most healthcare professionals, I was very interested in how much attention healthcare would receive. I was shocked, to put it mildly. Less than 0.6% of the address was focused on healthcare. That’s right, 0.6%! In comparison, President Obama devoted 7.2% of the address to healthcare in 2009 and 7.8% in 2010. What’s changed? Let me see if I can both understand and explain.
First, the State of the Union address has evolved over the decades to become primarily a political address to the nation. It is less a State of the Union than it is a positioning statement for the coming year’s proposed actions and elections. And this year, healthcare just isn’t an attractive issue. . . . for either party.
Second, in about two months, the Unites States Supreme Court will begin three days of hearings on whether the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is constitutional. Spending time defending the Affordable Care Act could be interpreted as recognizing the validity of the threat of repeal. If that threat is viewed as legitimate, it can make the general voting public less likely to support it.
What was the 0.6% of the address? It included: “I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny your coverage, or charge women differently than men.” “I recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about taxes and debt, energy and health care.” “I’m prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long-term costs of Medicare and Medicaid.” “Rules to prevent . . . faulty medical devices.” “That’s why our health care law relies on a reformed private market, not a government program.” These are statements with which it is very difficult to disagree, although we do not know what reforms may yet be proposed to reduce the costs of Medicare and Medicaid.
But we shouldn’t worry. With the Supreme Court reviewing the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, House Speaker Boehner’s commitment to placing Medicare on the legislative agenda, the March 23 second anniversary of the health reform law and the 2012 election cycle about to become more intense, there will be no shortage of discussion of health care – whether President Obama or the Republican candidates want to discuss it or not!
In good health,
John C. Grossmeier
President and Chief Executive Officer
Hannibal Regional Healthcare System