Guest Blog: Why People settle for inadequate healthcare

While attending a People 1^st Conference in Detroit, Hank Johnson Executive Director of the ARC Detroit said something in regards to services that struck me. He said “for too long people have accepted inadequate services because they are better than nothing”. I feel this applies very well to Michigan’s healthcare system. While it should be a point of pride that Michigan has some of the biggest and best medical schools, far too many of Michigan’s citizen simply do not have access to decent affordable health care. Tens of thousands of families in our state pay too much in premiums for too little coverage. Thousands more have no coverage at all. Some in our state government would say that we should leave well enough alone. That Michigan’s healthcare system with all of its inadequacies should not and embrace the reforms of the ACA. Yet when I meet with organizations and community leaders all over Southeastern Michigan what I hear time and time again is that change is needed. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Michigan has the opportunity to move beyond a system that is inadequate but better than nothing to one that is affordable accessible and top quality. Do not let yourself be swayed by the fear mongering the ACA is here to help and here to stay.