HEALTH-CARE PROPOSAL DISCUSSED AT FORUM

Medical spending must shift to preventative and primary care if the nation is to reduce overall health care costs.

That's the prescription of a panel of experts gathered by Southeast Missouri State University's nursing department and College of Health and Human Services for a forum on how to reduce health care costs.

"This nation spends the more on health care than any other nation, yet at the same time it guarantees less to its citizens," said Brenda Johnson, instructor of nursing and a certified geriatric nurse practitioner.

"Right now, the nation is trying to guarantee advanced medical care access to all citizens," she added. "Politicians and the public have accepted the need for health care reform. I think we will see some sort of reform within the next couple of years."

Johnson said that although 37 million people today don't have health care insurance, it doesn't mean they don't get health care.

"These people have been using emergency rooms when they are sick or for primary care," said Johnson. "The cost of this kind of care is exorbitant and is currently being absorbed by the federal government."

The Clinton health care plan was compared to other Congressional plans which have been offered in it's place.

"It's really difficult at this point in time to say what any of these plans would mean under specific circumstances," said Mildred Roberson, professor of nursing and coordinator of the graduate program in nursing. "All we can do is analyze the plans for what they are worth -- comparing the pros and cons of each."

Speakers at the forum also addressed the benefits of universal health care to children, expectant mothers and the elderly. Health care officials hoped that the Clinton health care plan or any plan adopted by Congress, would make amends for the shortfalls of Medicare and Medicaid.

Helen Miner, assistant professor of nursing and a member of the Rural Health Advisory Commission for the Missouri Department of Health, said laws already on Missouri books address health care reform.

House Bill 564, passed in the last legislative session, allows -- among other things -- for school districts to become Medicaid service providers.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for schools to perform services such as eye examinations, immunizations, checkups and other pediatric care services for its students," said Miner. "The state is even providing a grant right now to educate school nurses on how to set up a program to provide services like this for the kids.

"It's an excellent program that we would hope more schools would take advantage of."

Miner said the state of Missouri is moving ahead with its own health care reform so as to be able to be grandfathered into the federal plan if it's approved.

But the bottom line, according to all the panel members, is that although health care reform is imminent, its form remains uncertain.

"Right now we have a system of sick care, not health care," said Johnson. "Nothing in this plan will readily improve the health of this nation until we address the social, economic and biological toxins which plague us."