When a friend told Mary Sculley that 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry,
a Democratic senator from Massachusetts, was coming to town, she made sure she
was there to see him.
On Saturday morning, Sculley and a van full of loyal Democrats rode to
downtown Charleston from Mount Pleasant to hear Kerry's ideas about better ways
to approach national health care.
"I certainly think he is a candidate that realizes how serious this is," the
73-year-old retired schoolteacher said.
Kerry, who says he is considering another run for the presidency, hosted a
town hall meeting at the International Longshoremen's Association Local 1422 on
Morrison Drive to discuss America's health care disparities.
He touched on points such as reducing expenses for small businesses, reducing
the cost of prescription drugs and ensuring that the average person is provided
with the same health options as politicians.
"It's not available to all the people that it ought to be, and it's too
expensive," Kerry said. "The costs are too high, and the system is inefficient.
It's effective health care, but it's not effective for everybody."
Kerry stirred up the crowd by getting hand counts of those struggling
withoutadequate health benefits and tired of rising premiums. Within minutes, he
hopped off the stage, took off his blazer and approached the crowd of more than
250 people.
He particularly lamented the lack of coverage for America's youth - more than
9 million children are uninsured nationwide, and 11 million when those through
age 21 are included.
In South Carolina, 95,000 kids don't have health care, Kerry said.
Kerry introduced a "Kids First" act in the Senate last year. He said his goal
is to reduce the burden on states by requiring the federal government to pay all
Medicaid costs for people younger than 21 who are at or below the poverty
level.
State governments would in turn agree to expand coverage to children
typically considered middle-class, such as children from a family of three with
an annual income around $47,000, about three times the poverty level.
States could save $11 billion each year if they were absolved of paying for
health care for children below the poverty level, according to the proposal.
"The plan would reduce the cost of health care to the state, because the
federal government would take over some of that cost," Kerry said, "and it would
automatically enroll children in health care so every child would have health
care immediately. So less cost to South Carolina, more children covered."
The bill would repeal a portion of the tax breaks enacted in 2001 for people
earning more than $300,000 each year. In other words, the wealthiest Americans,
about 1 percent of all taxpayers, would feel the pinch.
Sculley, who had worked with inner city youths in New York for years, said
she thinks the program could work, but has one concern.
"I imagine the problem in South Carolina is going to be money," she said. "I
mean, this is a poor state, and we are going to need a lot of help from the
federal government to take care of our children."
John Welton, assistant professor of nursing at the Medical University of
South Carolina, came to the meeting prepared to address a specific issue with
the senator.
Patients in hospitals today are sicker than ever, burdened by chronic
conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, and more, better-skilled nurses
are needed to care for them, Welton said.
An MUSC study published in this month's Journal of Nursing Administration
found that, under the current system, in place for several decades, nursing care
is being undervalued by up to 32 percent.
"The system that pays for that care is not keeping up with the realities of a
21st-century hospital ward," Welton said.
In 2007, the national Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services plans to
launch a new method for reimbursing hospitals for patient care. By aligning
reimbursements with actual nursing costs, hospitals would be more prepared to
staff units appropriately, Welton said.
Welton presented an alternative proposal to Kerry, to ask for his support in
moving the initiative forward. The senator said he would review Welton's
suggestions.
Kerry's last stop in the Palmetto State was a West Columbia rally to raise
money for Richland County and Lexington County Democrats running in the November
election.
Staff writer Holly Auercontributed to this report.
Reach Tenisha Waldo at twaldo@postandcourier.com or
937-5744.
