Dr. Ross wishes it went futher
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TOLEDO, OH -- President Obama talked heath care reform Wednesday night and local health care workers were paying close attention.
NBC24 sat down with one Toledo doctor who told us he has been hoping for change for decades.
"Every year, at least, if not a couple times a year... I see someone who clearly died from lack of health insurance alone," said Dr. Johnathon Ross, an internist at St. Vincent's.
Dr. Ross works with the uninsured everyday at St. V's.
He says insurance for all is a must.
"Here's my rule for who deserves health care coverage: are you a human being? Is your heart beating? Are you breathing? Then you deserve coverage," said Ross.
But Dr. Ross is not convinced that Obama's plan is the best.
In fact, he would like to see the United States move to a single-payer plan where the government covers it all and there are no private insurers.
"If we had that, given what we're spending, I have no question that we could have everybody covered with minimal out-of-pocket costs," said Ross. "{People would be} able to see any doctor, at any hospital in the country with probably the best health care system in the world."
Still, Ross is hopeful Obama's plan will pass and thinks it would be a change for the better.
"With regulation and, hopefully, some cost control. We've got to have cost control. And hopefully some transparency... We can get more people covered. Maybe we can begin to work to shape it into something that can be an effective health care system for Americans," said Ross.
And while these are only the opinions of one health care worker Dr. Ross believes he, in part, speaks for many.
"I think doctors are ready to make changes," said Ross. "We're tired of not being able to provide good care to our patients and we're hoping, although fearful. We're hopeful that we're going to see that."
So what do you think? Do you agree or disagree with Dr. Ross? Leave your comments below.
