As the campaign winds down and the full impact of the current economic situation sets in, the most important aspects of healthcare that should be addressed are the maintenance and expansion of safety net healthcare programs. These are of critical importance in a slowing (or stalled) economy. Persons who have lost jobs will make important tradeoffs on healthcare over other needs that can worsen both an individual’s health and ability to resume work. Items on the to-do list include preventing wholesale cutbacks in state healthcare programs (e.g. Medicaid) in the face of state budget crunches, ensuring that eligible individuals receive benefits for which they are entitled, and ensuring that private insurance programs (e.g. COBRA) are available at reasonable prices for out-of-work individuals who can afford this type of coverage.

 

Oh, and don’t forget to vote!