Weiland: Health Care Reform Too Good to Repeal

Dr. Kevin Weiland has hit the papers again. In Thursday's edition of that Sioux Falls paper, he explains to South Dakotans why repealing this year's health care reform law would hurt South Dakotans. Among the damage Dr. Weiland says we could do by sending repeal dittoheads to Washington:

1. 90,000 South Dakota kids lose protection from discrimination and denial of insurance coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
2. Current and future medical students lose expanded scholarships and loan repayment assistance.
3. Doctors choosing lower-paying primary care and setting up shop in rural and other high-need areas lose tax relief.
   
4. Not-for-profit community health centers (one of George W. Bush's really good ideas) lose $9 billion.
5. Medicare patients fall right back into the donut hole.

Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich and other Democrats understood the good health care reform promised for South Dakota. Our Senator Tim Johnson understood from the start that passing health care reform would be one of his proudest moments in the Senate. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin needed a primary threat to come to Jesus on this issue.

Health care reform is already doing good, and it will do more as its biggest provisions kick in. It's not perfect, but it's progress over a rotten status quo. Oh yeah, and don't forget: over ten years, it will cut the deficit by $138 billion.

Health care reform is working. Repealing it or even playing funding games as Noem and the GOP are plotting is not preferable. I am pleased that Dr. Weiland is making that case. Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin needs to make that case more loudly. And we Dems need to get up and vote to keep Republicans from retaking Congress and driving our health care system back into the rocks.