By Candice Owley

Health care in the balance

In just two months, each of us will have the opportunity to cast our vote for a new president and for members of Congress. As we think about this upcoming election, it is critical to remember that these elected individuals will have the power to pass laws that will affect our very lives and the future of our health care system.

The next president and Congress will determine the future of Medicare and whether we have a prescription drug benefit that will stop our senior citizens from choosing between food and life-saving medications. Our elected leaders will also decide whether we have a nationwide system of protection for health care workers who raise legitimate concerns about the quality of care. Perhaps even more important, this election will determine whether we move closer to or farther away from the goal of universal health care for everyone in our country.

Some members have told me they are not sure whether our union should be involved in politics or that it doesn't really matter who is in the White House. Nothing could be further from the truth. The hospitals, doctors, insurance and drug companies understand full well that the policies set by the president and by Congress determine the kind of health care system we have. These organizations spend millions on efforts to influence the outcome of these elections. We must also realize that the future of the health care system is directly related to those who hold political office, and we must make sure our voice is heard during this critical election period.

During this last year, we have truly learned the power that health care workers have when they become energized and mobilized around vital legislation. Across the country we have helped pass laws to provide whistleblower protection, safe needles and, most recently, the end to forced overtime. To win those legislative victories for the good of our members and our patients, we needed politicians who would listen to our voice and do the right thing. We needed elected officials who would stand up to the insurance and hospital industries and stand with us for quality care. And, as great as our victories have been, we cannot stop at the statehouses--we must take the battle to Washington, D.C.

If we are to have a Medicare system that provides quality care with prescription drug coverage for our seniors and adequate funding for health providers, we need supporters in the nation's capital. If we want a national system that provides protection for whistleblowers and outlaws forced overtime in all 50 states, we need friends of health care workers in Washington, D.C. If we are to end the travesty of 44 million uninsured and move the nation to a system of universal health care, we need a president and congressional leaders who will stand up to the insurance companies and stand with us, in this fight.

The national elections are only a few weeks away, and we have much work to do. As health professionals, it is our duty to fight for a better health care system for ourselves and for our patients. This fight cannot end at the hospital door or at the state border; it must carry forward until we have elected our supporters. Together, we can move mountains and, together, we can elect politicians who will join us in the fight for quality health care for all.