The Pope, the Governor, and Your Health Care.

Progressives and conservatives actually agree on something, but the Governor vetoed it.

AP Headline - “Pope, with new Cardinals, warns of mediocrity.” Pope Francis delivered a homily on Sunday in St. Peter’s Square with the Catholic Church’s newest Cardinals in attendance. Here’s a cut and paste from the article:

In his homily, Francis decried what he called “a dangerous kind of sleep: it is the slumber of mediocrity.” He added that Jesus “above all else detests lukewarm-ness.”

The root word Mediocris traveled Europe as most words did from Rome to France and then to England. Latin to French to English. From Merriam Webster:

 meaning "of medium size, moderate, middling, commonplace," and perhaps originally "halfway to the top."

Pope Francis exhorts us to wake up and go for the top. Be bold. Or as author Brene Brown titled her best selling book Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead.

Transformation is a process and it takes time. The shift is both directional and attitudinal.

C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity:

If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.

Here is an example -Virginia is currently discussing whether or not to legalize marijuana. Former Governor Terry McAuliffe and Delegate Don Scott wrote in the Sunday Washington Post.

We have had reckonings over systemic racism, police brutality and health disparities for communities of color. If we are going to create and sustain meaningful change, we need to act big and be bold. We can’t tinker around the edges and act as though we are being transformative. One way to do this is to finally fully legalize marijuana and recognize it for what it is: a civil rights issue.

The numbers are hard to argue against. Black and brown communities have had marijuana laws disproportionately enforced.

McAuliffe and Scott define the problem along racial lines and offer a solution. Fair enough, right? It’s what the democratic republic was designed to do - redress grievances. And they do so. Good on them.

Current Governor Ralph Northam put together a work group of 23 to create a process for full legalization which they believe will take five years.

Seems a bit long but...whatever…

Every plan must have a goal and a path. But is Governor Northam’s five year plan mediocre? Who knows at this stage since the General Assembly stills has to enact the legislation that will legalize a product that is, by the way, currently available - today - not only at market rates, but also delivered at no additional cost.

This Richmond Times Dispatch article lists the Northam work group. There is not one business organization or current business person on it to discuss the impact to employers and employees who will have to do the daily living with this new reality. Is anyone surprised? No. This is not about the workplace.

This is first and foremost a civil rights issue. That’s the construct. Which is probably why the words second hand or smoke or lungs or inhale do not appear in either the op-ed or the article. Since everyone is deferring to the Center for Disease Control lately -FYI- here is the CDC link to the Health Effects of Marijuana.

Not taking a position here on the issue of legalization of marijuana, just using a current issue to illustrate how quickly politics can be changed. And yes, not all marijuana products are inhaled. We know.

This proves, once again, that British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan (1957-63), a Conservative, was right when he observed when asked what was the most troubling part of his Prime Ministership.

‘Events, my dear boy, events,’ was his reply.

Savvy politicians take advantage of “events” while others “slumber” in “lukewarm-ness.” Northam and McAuliffe are taking advantage of the event driven opportunity in regards to marijuana leap frogging over the current path of decriminalization.

Virginia Republicans, on the other hand, continue in a loop repeating the late Robin Williams’ observation about how unarmed British police confront unarmed criminals “Stop! or I’ll say Stop! again.”

With me so far? The above were just examples of political response to current events.

Let’s move now to health care as there is some relation to that example and could have a big impact on the 2021 elections.

This year, Governor Ralph Northam vetoed legislation (HB795 and SB235) carried by Senator George Barker and Delegate Chris Hurst that would have, according to Northam’s explanation: (please avert the children's eyes)

This legislation allows associations with more than 50 members to offer association health plans (AHPs) to members.

I know. Scary stuff.

That’s from the actual explanation of his veto of the bills which passed unanimously in the Senate (40-0) and overwhelmingly (93-3) in the House. Reminder - both chambers have Democratic majorities and Northam is a Democrat.

Broad bipartisan support on a health care policy? Yup. True enough.

Governors have to explain in writing to the General Assembly why a bill is being vetoed. This veto stops people who simply want to finance their own health care through their trade association.

Here’s his explanation with emphasis added:

I am concerned that Senate Bill 235 addressed the health care concerns of only a segment of Virginians, possibly at the cost of other Virginians. This bill would undermine current efforts to stabilize the Virginia health insurance marketplace. Virginians who enroll in AHPs may be disproportionately healthy when they enroll, leading to higher premiums for Virginians who do not qualify for an AHP and remain in the marketplace.

That “dear boy” is an event of “lukewarm-ness” amid “the slumber of mediocrity.” The Governor of Virginia vetoed legislation because it might help healthy people pay for their own health insurance.

The segment he refers to is healthy people.

Might. Help. Healthy. People. Pay. For. Health. Insurance.

The man is a doctor.

Here’s how the the Doctor Governor ends his veto explanation:

We look forward to working together holistically to ensure all Virginians’ have lower health care costs and ensure the overall market is at a minimum held harmless by future reforms. All Virginians have a right to quality, affordable, and comprehensive coverage. My administration remains committed to this goal.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.

Did we miss an event that created this action by the Governor? Does he not want people who are already NOT in the exchange to be able to get a better deal in the health insurance market by pooling resources and spreading risk? 

Oddly, the Governor signed into law - two years ago - SB672 which allows self employed people to be defined as a small group so that they could get private health insurance outside the exchange. SB672 passed both chambers unanimously and was carried by Senator Creigh Deeds, a fellow Democrat.

While Pope Francis “warns of mediocrity”, some can only aspire to it.

Group health care plans through associations is a right road.

The “most progressive” way is to get back on it.

There are approximately 35 candidates for statewide office in 2021. If they come calling, ask them about association health plans. It’s a great starting point should you want to break free of mediocre leadership.

And you should.

*Disclaimer - the above opinions are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Virginia FREE or any of its members*