Opt-out eyed

Even without knowing what the final form of any federal health care reform will be, three Oklahoma lawmakers have decided they want to give Oklahomans the opportunity to wash their hands of it.

Republican Reps. Mike Ritze, Broken Arrow, and Mike Reynolds, Oklahoma City, and Sen. Randy Brogdon, Owasso, say they will file the Freedom of Healthcare Choice Act, which they say will allow voters to opt out of any federal system ultimately approved by Congress.

In a press release posted on his state House Web site, Ritze said: "It's clear the overwhelming majority of Americans want the current doctor-patient relationship preserved instead of having Washington bureaucrats dictate medical decisions. ... My legislation would give the voters the ability to protect and preserve their existing health care coverage."

The three GOP lawmakers said their proposed constitutional amendment, modeled after an Arizona proposal, would prohibit any law or rule compelling anyone to participate in any system, and would allow any Oklahoman to pay directly for or provide health care services without paying any penalty or fine.

It also would stipulate that subject to reasonable rules, the purchase or sale of private insurance would not be prohibited.

If all these three lawmakers want to do is preserve the right of Oklahomans to retain their existing health coverage, then that's all well and good.

But what about those who have no health care coverage, or who are underinsured? What about the children of
families who don't qualify for Medicaid? What about working Oklahomans whose employers don't provide coverage? What about people with pre-existing conditions who can't get coverage, or those who lost their coverage when they developed health problems? Would this amendment affect their ability to access any reforms Congress adopts?

Remember, Oklahoma ranks near the bottom in nearly all measures of health and well-being, and has among the highest uninsured rates in the country.

No doubt there are many Oklahomans who want to retain the coverage they have, but there are tens of thousands of others who want nothing more in life than access to decent health care. Our leaders should remember they represent them, too