When ranking states, Texas is next to last in children's access to health care, yet U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) presents it as a shining example for the rest of the nation.
Here's a clipping from the Commonwealth Fund report (emphasis mine):
[...] the 13 states at the bottom quartile of the overall performance ranking—Illinois, New Mexico, New Jersey, Alaska, Oregon, Arkansas, Nevada, Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Oklahoma—lag well behind their peers on multiple indicators across dimensions[...]Now for a bit of perspective on his health care stance: Cornyn voted against SCHIP, which now covers about half a million Texas children. He also opposed the reinstatement of adequate Medicare reimbursements to providers. Cornyn initially opposed reinstating adequate Medicare reimbursements to doctors, causing the Texas Medical Association to rescind their endorsement of him during a recent re-election bid.
Now according to The Houston Chronicle he has been speaking out about Texas as a shining example. Here's a quote form the Chronicle story:
As the debate continues and we see more instances like this, it would behoove us all to beware of political spin from either side and focus on the facts. The Commonwealth Fund has been doing a magnificent job of providing hard data at a time when it is so desperately needed. Thanks, guys!"So, you have to understand what I mean when I say I want to make Washington, D.C., and the rest of our country more like Texas (because), frankly, we know the policies that actually work." [-U.S. Sen. John Cornyn]
SOURCE: "Out of touch Senator's depiction of Texas' health care system as a national role model departs from reality" 08/14/08
SOURCE: "U.S. Variations in Child Health System Performance: A State Scorecard" 05/25/08
photo courtesy of little black spot on the sun today, used under its Creative Commons license
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ReplyDeleteScott Smith
MyMedicalRecords.com
Smith.scott98@gmail.com
There is no question that Texas health care is in trouble. The uninsured and those who have to deal with our troubled insurance systems can certainly testify to that. But that's not what Senator Cornyn was talking about. You conveniently left the second sentence out of the senator's quote out. As the Chronicle reported: "We have created greater access to quality health care in Texas," he told the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club, a GOP group. "How did we do it? Well, we passed Proposition 12."
ReplyDeleteHe's talking about medical liability reform that we passed here in 2003.
Without medial liability reform and Proposition 12, our problems would be much worse. Since the passage of liability reforms and Prop 12:
- Doctors find it much easier to recruit new physicians to their communities, even among high-risk specialties and in the “lawsuit war zones” of south and east Texas.
- Texas physicians are much more likely to accept patients with complex or high-risk problems, and many feel comfortable offering their patients new services.
- Charity care has greatly increased.
- After years of decline, the ranks of medical specialists are growing.
- Doctors are bringing critical specialties to underserved areas.
- Hospitals are upgrading equipment, expanding their emergency room capabilities.
We have a long way to go. But look how much further behind we would be without the 2003 reforms.
Steve Levine
VP, Communication
Texas Medical Association