Annie Zamora is the co-founder of the New Hampshire Health Care Freedom Fund.
The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.
As many Americans have already reported, the Senate failed to pass any sort of bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare last week. Instead, we have just had a special committee (called the Budget Committee) make a series of decisions, which could set the direction of the healthcare system for the next decade.
Under these new procedures, which some have suggested have been made up by the President of the United States, a series of decisions can be made. In addition to the final health care bill, these committees are looking at, among other things, funding levels (including the future of Medicare for our nation’s seniors), tax reform, and the expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the federal health insurance program for children.
While the final bill may be the most significant piece of legislation that changes the direction of our country (and our health care system), it could also change the way a number of these decisions are made in the future. These health issues will not be resolved overnight, but as they pass through these committees, I believe we are coming up on one major milestone in our nation’s healthcare history — and, as we approach this critical point, I want to take a moment to reflect on what is at stake.
I started with some historical background. I was fortunate to come within 10 miles of both the White House and the Capitol building on both the last day of May 2017 and the first day of June 2017. This gives me two examples of the importance I think healthcare needs in the country.
When I arrived in the United States, I was a small business owner. At the time, we had one office; one phone line; one email address. I worked in the business as an office manager. In those days, we had one employee, one administrator, and no internet access.
When I joined the U.S. Navy, I was a petty officer.
While all of us are affected by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), I know the impact that small business has had on people who have healthcare.
Today, my employer provides more than 100 qualified healthcare providers – all within 1.5 miles of its offices. Over the last 20 years, my small business has added 100,000 new employees to its portfolio.