What will finally save health care?
Last March, President Obama said of health care reform, “If there is a way of getting this done where we’re driving down costs and people are getting health insurance at an affordable rate, and have choice of doctor, have flexibility in terms of their plans, and we could do that entirely through the market, I’d be happy to do it that way.” Hmmm. I guess the Wicked Witch of the West Pelosi has more say over health care reform than the president of the United States. Health care “reform” as we now know it, bears little resemblance to Mr. Obama’s statement from last March. In fact, like a petulant child, the Wicked Witch and her partner in crime, Harry, have done the exact opposite of what Mr. Obama said health care reform should look like.
Since the passage and signing into law of the health care reform bill, you could say we’re not in Kansas anymore. While life in America right now does not resemble Oz, that’s only because a great share of the new bill in not yet in effect.
I know you have probably read and heard more than you care to about the positives and negatives of the new bill, and whether it is even Constitutional to force people to buy any good or service. It is not my intention to wear you out still further with the same information simply regurgitated in this publication. Perhaps what you have not read much about is what true health care reform could look like. Yes, reform is possible. And I am talking about a reform that most of you reading this would accept. So what do I mean by “most of you?” Let’s do the math. Here are the stats:
The number of ETBJ readers varies due to our Web page and how many new subscriptions we receive each month. Our research indicates we have over 50,000 readers of our print edition and about 35,000 readers of our Web site each month. That means this editorial is read each month by roughly 85,000 pairs of eyeballs. I am not foolish enough to try to delude myself into thinking all of you agree with me each month.
Small town mayors do not have 85,000 citizens voting for them, and they get quite nervous when facing reelection. That is why the old saying “you can’t please everyone” applies here. Mayor Ashe and I had that conversation years ago. He was concerned about trying to please his voters. I told him I know I have a great deal of responsibility as managing editor of this rag. My job each month is to bring you news and information that will inform, educate and entertain the subscribers of ETBJ. Trust me, I get phone calls from those of you who do NOT agree with me, one of my columnists or one of our reporters. Mayor Ashe often had his feet held to the fire trying to please his voters at Mayor’s Night Out, he explained to me. The number of folks calling me about something Dr. Anderson wrote is off the charts, but then he has that Ph.D. in economics from Auburn. Ouch! Auburn! Perhaps that upsets a Big Orange fan who may now read no further due to Vols Loyalty?
The letters you write and sign your names on are so dear to me. Personal mail! Yummy. You have company letterhead, are proud of your beliefs and are willing to “put it in writing.” (I always call those brave souls personally.)
My point here? I am concerned enough to care. I do my best to take my job seriously because I want to KNOW I earned my paycheck. Our advertisers and subscribers deserve no less. All the staff and columnists at ETBJ are perfectionists. And no, it’s not something we get out of the water cooler. If a woman in East Tennessee and her staff — a small staff in comparison to the number of elected officials in East Tennessee, the U.S. Congress and White House — care this passionately about our work and the impact we have on the lives of our subscribers and advertisers — what the devil is wrong with those elected officials when it comes to making decisions that drastically impact the lives of countless Americans and generations to come? Mayor Ashe was correct in being concerned as to why only a few people in Ft. Sanders register to vote, and actually show up at a polling place. (Most of the residents of Ft. Sanders are college students, and many do not “live” here, so they must vote back “home” in Memphis or Nashville.) It’s the Election Law of the Land.
We here at ETBJ are not Tea Baggers, Right Wingers, Left Wingers etc. No, we are just people who know we have the right to say, “I’m proud of what I do, and I make a very good wage here at work. The Business Journal is expanding right now, not cutting back as, sadly, so many companies have been forced to do in recent years.
I know that all will be well here, no matter the state of the economy, if we work as a team and offer a quality product. Our advertisers will continue to renew as they have for 19 years; so will the subscribers. The new business for both departments will come to us as it always has. People use computers and phones to check headlines, yet the majority of our subscribers still prefer a print edition of East Tennessee Business Journal.
We continue to develop new business, and strive to treat each client as if they were “the only one.” We give our subscribers what we said we would give them. We do not lie to clients, we do not make them wait any longer than necessary for an answer to their question. Our Legal Briefs editor does his research. Our Financial Planning Guru gets it right the first time. We do NOT endorse political candidates, but offer clear and concise analysis of who they are and what they represent. Our sales team is professional on the phone when speaking to advertisers. Our billing department rarely makes mistakes.
I could go on and on with how I personally feel about ETBJ and my staff. Our CPA has discussed with me for hours over the years his formula for health care reform. I think he has it “right” since many of his clients are physicians. He served as CFO at hospitals before starting his own CPA firm years ago. I listen to him and wish he could tell Congress his plan, but also realize most of the folks in Congress would not listen to him even if the appointment were held in the privacy of their Washington office. Still, I know as I sip my coffee at lunch with this forward-thinking man that there is hope he will be in the right place some day talking to the right person who will listen to what he thinks could save health care, and make it better for doctors, providers and consumers. He says he is going to write a book, and that gives me even more hope for a better tomorrow since that means he could sell copies on amazon.com. Tell the world. He writes for ETBJ when he has time.
I sleep with a clear conscience at night and know that I have attempted to serve all of you who read this. So why can’t Congress and all elected officials look at their job like we here are ETBJ do, and like most of you do at your companies?
They could. They should. We know they don’t. It’s almost election day. Who will you vote for this year? Will you take the time to research what each candidate stands for and consider carefully what changes he or she will bring to your personal and professional life? Don’t depend upon we members of the media to do your job for you. Voting is such a strong way to voice your support or disagreement with those who are running for office. Each vote is important, even if your choice for public office loses. This is a critical election year, so we all need to consider how we vote carefully.
—Jayne Andrews
