Centering Ourselves

Despite any divisiveness we saw throughout the heated 2004 election season, millions of Americans polled agreed upon one thing — that this would be an election of monumental consequence. And to prove their fervor, voters turned out in record numbers, the likes of which we have not seen since 1968. Newly re-elected President Bush described the election as one that earned him “political capital.” Taking his notion as a point of departure, it is time for us to evaluate what net political capital we in the home care industry have and focus on using it as best we can as we face new challenges in 2005 and beyond.

The sharp divides we see in today’s society on various “wedge” issues and ideologies have led to the emergence of a new kind of politician. This new breed is the progressive centrist who understands that there must be room in the middle of the widening gap between political poles. Furthermore, coming to the center should not mean only reaching watered-down, bipartisan compromises.

Instead, it should entail developing innovative solutions for modern dilemmas such as America’s health crisis. One political advocacy organization espouses these principles and projects that whichever side can capture the center and build an “idea majority” will dominate today’s political and public policy debates.

The New Political Climate

The balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives stands at 201 Democrats to 231 Republicans (with two elections outstanding in Louisiana), and the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate was expanded to 55 to 44 Democrats.

We are fortunate that many of our “home care congressional champions” will be returning to work with us further. These include Sen. Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, founder and chair of the Congressional COPD Caucus, as well as co-chairs Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Reps. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Cliff Stearns, R-Fla. Home care champion Richard Burr, R-N.C., has moved from the House to the Senate this year. Home care provider and advocate Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., keeps his seat in the House, as do H.R. 4491 co-sponsors Reps. David Hobson, R-Ohio, and Harold Ford, Jr., D-Tenn. Finally, we are fortunate to be able to continue our work with Sens. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., Rick Santorum, R-Pa., Susan Collins, R-Maine, George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and many others.

The Republican-Democrat split among the states’ governors will be about the same as it was before the election (at this writing, either 28-22 or 29-21 in the GOP’s favor, depending on final election outcomes). We will continue working with the National Governors Association and state-level policymakers. It is critical for us to continue nurturing current ties with our state and national leaders and to work toward building and strengthening new relationships.

Projections

President Bush plans to use the “political capital” he gained from his victory on Nov. 2 to push an aggressive domestic agenda in a second term. Where health care issues are concerned, we can expect Republicans to encourage private health care plans for our seniors, tax incentives for health care savings accounts and implementation of the prescription drug benefit of the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act (MMA). They will also advocate capping medical-malpractice court awards and allowing small businesses to form groups to buy insurance.

Democrats will continue to fight for the importation of drugs from Canada and other countries and, with HHS, will continue to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices. Reducing the number of uninsured (currently an estimated 45 million) will be a high priority for Democrats, who will likely focus on expansion of existing government health care programs.

Going into 2005, AAHomecare will continue to fight for patient access and fair reimbursement policies on all fronts. Working together, with progressive and innovative strategies, we can and will make a difference for those in the home care community.

Kay Cox is president and CEO of the American Association for Homecare, Alexandria, Va. For more information about AAHomecare, visit www.aahomecare.org, or call 703/836-6263.