Know Your New Health Care Rights

I was in Canada when health care reform passed. From what I could gather firsthand and from the news, our northern neighbors are happy for us. Friends expressed how — finally — Americans will experience the peace of mind that comes with never having to worry about how to pay for their health care. Never being troubled by losing health coverage if you get laid off. Not losing sleep over how to afford health insurance if you want to freelance or start a business. And the list goes on.

Invariably, though, I always had to stop my Canadian buddies short because they're assuming that the new health care law would instantaneously bring the American system up to par with their health care system for portability and universality of coverage. But they don't know the half of how much more work would have to happen before Americans could enjoy a fully universal health care system. That said, the new Patient Protection and Affordability Act represents a monumental accomplishment for Americans, a huge first step towards the day when no American will ever again fear getting sick without health insurance coverage.

Now it's time for a full disclosure: I'm originally from Canada, so I have experienced both systems. The idea that health care coverage is a privilege or reward for working hard in this lifetime is alien up there (though not in the past, as Canadians waged their own uphill battle over several decades for universal health care). For Canadians, health care is a human right. And they are willing to share the expense of covering all Canadians in sickness and in health. Because they assume that paying for health insurance is right up there with paying for roads, public schools, libraries, the military and other essential infrastructure and institutions that secure the well-being of a nation. And Canadians possess a pragmatic streak when it comes to paying taxes for health care — surely no one can avoid getting sick or growing old. So everyone ponies up because, sooner or later, everyone will see a doctor for something. It's only fair, eh? And, believe me, when catastrophic illness hits you or your family, as it did mine in Canada, having access to top-notch care without having to wrangle with insurance companies over a single penny spells unspeakable relief at a time of intense stress and suffering.

But Canadians hardly hold a monopoly on doing what's right by each other. By passing health reform into law, Americans have shown that they are once again ready to expand their sense of doing right for their country and themselves, as they have done with Social Security and Medicare in the past. Sure, Republicans, Tea Partiers, and their obnoxious talking-head avatars on Fox News are squawking hatefully about the new health law as a harbinger of the end of American civilization as they know it. They'll have their work cut out for them once Americans experience the benefits of the new law. But until it's fully up and running, the Republicans badly want to capitalize on the lingering misinformation and fear before the November elections. Republicans came close but failed to politically cripple President Obama with health reform. They haven't stopped trying just because Obama trounced their plans.

The most empowering thing Americans can do right now is to get the facts straight on the new law. A good place to start is the Department of Health and Human Services’ website at http://healthreform.gov/. Or check out a new initiative called the Campaign for Better Care, led by the National Partnership for Women & Families, Community Catalyst and the National Health Law Program, which answers lots of questions on its website plus provides opportunities to get involved in the ongoing work of turning the promise of health reform into reality.

Photo credit: TheAllNewAdventuresOfMe