Symptoms but not the cause...

For the many Missourians following the continuing pruning of health care services you may be interested to know that yesterday, May 1st, kicked off "Cover the Uninsured Week."

While Missourians certainly don't need to be reminded that there are countless people living without health insurance, the effort is designed to help bring attention to the tenuous position in which many working people find themselves.

Many Missourians are facing difficult times ahead thanks to budget cuts, but the health insurance system at-large is riddled with problems and requires a serious national dialogue to diagnose its ailments. The only way these issues will be treated effectively is if the political leadership take serious steps toward addressing the state of health insurance, rather than passing politically favorable but generally ineffective lawsuit restrictions.

Businesses, individuals, advocacy groups and legislators need to sit down and examine reform efforts to help ensure access to efficient and affordable heath insurance. Access isn't simply an ethical issue but also an economic one. The specter of government intervention needs to be dismissed. The health care industry doesn't provide consumer goods but is a necessary partner in sustaining a healthy, productive economy.