Houston Community Newspapers Online: Praying For Healthcare

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Houston Community Newspapers Online: Praying For Healthcare

Signs bearing the words "I'm not a doctor, I just play one in Congress" and "You think healthcare is expensive now? Wait till it's free" were held in protest of proposed government-run healthcare during a July 17 rally, two weeks before the reform legislation may be signed into law.

Dozens of people from Tomball, Spring and Klein crowded in front of U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul's (R-Texas 10) office to protest government spending and, more specifically, health care reform as proposed by President Barack Obama's administration. McCaul has also expressed opposition to the reform as proposed; the protests took place in front of every member of Congress' district office nationwide.

According to healthreform.gov, the Obama administration believes that comprehensive health reform should reduce long-term growth of health care costs for businesses and government, protect families from bankruptcy or debt because of health care costs, guarantee choice of doctors and health plans, invest in prevention and wellness, improve patient safety and quality of care, assure affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans, maintain coverage when jobs are changed or lost, and end barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions. Obama has set July 31 as a deadline to pass health care legislation.

McCaul, whose district includes Tomball, Katy and Spring and extends into Austin, signed a pledge assuring his constituents he won't vote on the 1,000-page bill until he has read it, and demanding it be posted online for 72 hours so the public could read it.

"This legislation will potentially change our healthcare system and tax structure for many years to come," McCaul said in a press release. "I believe, and doctors in my district believe, this bill could be very damaging to quality of care and patients' ability to make their own medical decisions. We owe it to the American people to examine it and read the fine print, and not be forced into rash decisions because of an artificial deadline."

U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady, who represents a district including Magnolia, The Woodlands and Conroe, is to have taken part in a press conference July 20 with CEOs of hospitals in his district to discuss "the dangers of red tape, rationing and rising health care costs in the bill," according to a press release.

Darrell Pile, executive vice president of Tomball Regional Hospital, said healthcare reform is a frequent topic of conversation formally and informally among hospital and medical personnel. He said he monitors the situation through the Texas and American hospital associations.

He said the hospital administration is aware of the need for healthcare reform, as the current structure is in economic trouble and reform is needed, but has concerns about universal healthcare coverage. One concern is the speed with which action is being taken, and he said he fears a decision will be made hastily that would lead to things becoming worse rather than better.

"(Universal health care) concerns us, but we do believe level heads will prevail and believe Congressmen McCaul, Poe and Brady as well as Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison represent us well," he said.

He is concerned that everyone having some level of health insurance could lead to fewer providers, such as doctors and hospitals, because the coverage provided by universal health care likely won't be sufficient for all providers to stay in business, he said. If there are fewer providers, he said, and an increased demand in services, it could lead to lengthy waiting lists and a need to determine criteria for who gets seen and when.

Dana Montroy, one of the people protesting, said the group of citizens in front of McCaul's office were angry about the health care issue and government spending in general.

"It's criminal, it's theft, it's government theft," she said.

The group was not part of any one organization, though some heard of the national protests through the Tea Party network, which held a rally against government spending in April, and some are members of We Surround Them-Tomball, which is the local chapter of a group that aims to hold elected officials accountable.

Ray Rhoades, of Spring, led the group of protesters in prayer. He prayed for revival in the country, and choked up as he asked God to "protect the land that was founded on Your word."

Until the issue is fully debated and law is enacted, Pile said he is not able to guess what changes will take place within the hospital system or when, and how changes could directly affect patients and physicians.

"But we've been here almost 33 years now, and we will continue to develop and adjust our services to meet the needs of the 250,000 people we serve," he said.

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