Desert Residents Weigh In On Health Care Reform

Amanda Burleigh is looking forward to the day when she will not have to worry about a hefty hospital bill again.

“I had bronchitis for a couple of weeks,” she explains. “And I ended up having to go to the hospital. And now, I have a big hospital bill I know I can’t pay.

Her bill was $1400. So, it’s no surprise that she supports the passage of the health reform bill. But, not everyone is thrilled about what took place on Sunday.

“I think in principle, it’s great. But I’m concerned about how it’s going to affect my taxes,” says Mary Shields, of Palm Desert. She also fears the quality of her health coverage will go down.

Bob Brewington does not have insurance, and yet, he is not jumping for joy.

“I wish we would’ve gone all the way…to a government-run program so we can catch up with the rest of the world,” he says.

At the College of the Desert, many students did not know much about the health reform bill — or even cared about it. But for Gissell Espinoza, a single mother of one, she says it is important for her daughter Mildred to be insured.

“Right now, she’s healthy. But, you don’t know about tomorrow. What if she breaks her hand? Or she’s in the hospital? You don’t know.”

Some residents say the elimination of pre-existing conditions is the best part of the landmark bill.

Lori Meena, of Palm Desert, explains: “My husband was diagnosed with something very simple — a huge amount of the population has it — which is sleep apnea. We couldn’t [get insurance], and we kept getting denied.”

President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign the bill as early as Tuesday. Lori Meena believes it’s a step in the right direction.

“We’ve been talking about it for years, and nothing’s even changed. So, at this point, any kind of change is good change.”