Pocan to Supreme Court: "Pay Now, or Pay More Later!"
Press Release
President Obama's Affordable Care Act has tremendously improved the lives of millions of Wisconsin residents, covering more than 43,000 young people, lowering drug costs and providing preventative medicine. With the impending Supreme Court Decision tomorrow, State Representative Mark Pocan brought together healthcare providers and beneficiaries of the law to discuss its importance."Under Affordable Care, millions of Wisconsinites currently receive preventative care that costs very little, but prevents greater costs later," said Pocan, "I've experienced this cost-savings first hand. As a leader on the Joint Finance Committee, we expanded health care to 98% of Wisconsinites and every child in the state, in large part by cutting down on administrative costs and focusing on preventative medicine."
"I fought to expand coverage in the hardest of times in Wisconsin, and won, and I'll do the same in Washington," said Pocan, "Ultimately, universal coverage should be the goal of our nation."
Christine Holcomb expressed the frustration and worry health care caused her family as her son struggled with cancer, until passage of Obama's healthcare plan. "When Affordable Care was implemented, I could focus on helping my son, not worrying over thousands of dollars in expensive coverage," said Holcomb, "And when he turns 26, he should not be denied coverage because of his pre-existing condition."
Janie Harris, an experienced mental health nurse, discussed the costs associated with a failure to cover the mentally ill. "We must provide better health care for all," explained Harris, "It is much more costly treating mentally ill individuals through hospital emergency rooms and through the criminal justice system."
"I challenge the Supreme Court: uphold this law," Pocan stated, "Either we pay now, or society will be forced to pay higher costs later. Whether it's mentally ill patients or others who develop expensive-to-treat, long-term illness, we all suffer. Pay in a humane, inexpensive way up front -- or pay more later with a much higher threshold of disease, pain, and loss of life."
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