Health-Care-for-All

April 2021

It’s time to ensure that healthcare-for-all includes long-term community-based support services for all, regardless of income or assets. Long-term support services include personal assistant services, ongoing therapies, maintenance medication, and durable medical equipment.

After retiring from Wells Fargo, I strongly advocated changing Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) so that people with disabilities can find employment without fearing losing the products and services needed to survive. Several years ago, I realized that I was wrong. In The Real Problem blog, I described my realization that Social Security should not be associated with healthcare. Social Security is designed to be a safety net for people who cannot work. Healthcare, including long-term support services, enables people to live their lives in the best possible way.

Linking Social Security with healthcare perpetuates the stereotype that people with disabilities cannot work. Unquestionably there are cohorts whose disabilities and illness prevent them from gainful employment. Advocacy is needed to ensure they receive a livable income. However, we must delink this from the need for healthcare.

Quality, accessible, affordable healthcare and long-term support services are not just disability issues. The Covid pandemic showed how dangerous, isolating, and heartbreaking institutionalization can be. Long-term support services will undoubtedly prevent many people with mental health disabilities from being incarcerated. We can reduce homelessness by providing people with the services they need.

Health care-for-all need not be single-payer and can be cost-effective. A Plan To Achieve Health-Care-For-All offers a brief, overly simplified example of how universal healthcare can also benefit the private sector. Disability advocates, healthcare providers, medical professionals, genealogists, economists, information technologists, and other stakeholders need to work together to develop a comprehensive program.

Community Living Support Services (CLSS) is a brief description of the type of enterprise needed to support community living. A for-profit social enterprise rather than a non-profit agency primarily so that entrepreneurs and investors partner with us in this transformation. The brief description explains why well capitalization is critical to its success. It’s also vital to have lobbyists for the medical, pharmaceutical, and long-term care facilities industries promoting community living.

With lessons learned from the pandemic, the economy’s reopening,  and the recognition of the need for a more inclusive and equitable society, we have a short window of opportunity to implement the healthcare we desperately need. Now is the time to ensure that people with disabilities can work and be as active as they want without fear of losing desperately needed services. Seniors should be able to enjoy their golden years with dignity in their chosen environment. People with mental health disabilities must receive the services they need instead of being homeless or incarcerated. Home Caregivers and attendants deserve compensation that is commensurate with the critical work they do.

Please let me know what you think of this proposal. Who is actively working on this? What next steps do you suggest?