Bloomington Residents Voice Health Care Concerns atโฃ Listening Session
BLOOMINGTON, IN – Frustration over rising โmedical costs and access to โaffordable care were centralโ themes at a health care reform listening session held at theโค Unitarian โUniversalist Churchโฃ in Bloomington Tuesdayโฃ evening. The event, partโ of a series across the state, drew residents eager to shareโ their experiences โฃand advocate for changes to the โU.S. health care system.
Attendees discussed โa range of potential reforms, including single-payer health care, affordable medication access,โ aโ unified patient record system, and increased support โขfor medicalโฃ education. The sessions are intended to inform potential legislative action, though organizers acknowledged the challenges of achieving reform in Congress. The growing financial burden of healthcare is impacting individuals and โfamilies nationwide, prompting renewed calls โคfor systemic change as insurance premiums rise and deductibles remain high.
michelle Purkes, โa Bloomington resident currently unemployed, shared herโ struggle to afford care even with COBRA insurance. “I โคpay $600 โa month for my โpremium, โฃand my deductible is $4,000,” Purkes โคsaid,โ adding โฃshe has $1,500 inโฃ outstanding medical bills related to a chronic condition and “doesn’t see a path toward retirement โขin the โขU.S.” She โwas forced to use her retirement funds to cover treatment costs despite being insured.
Julieโค Prandi, chair ofโ the listening โคsession and a member of the Unitarian โUniversalist Church,โ emphasized โthe importance โขof continued โadvocacy. “Weโข just have to get organized,” Prandi stated. “If we work towards it, we can do itโฆif you just sort of throw up your handsโฃ and say, ‘Oh, it’s never going to โคhappen,’ then of course by definition you haven’t tried.”
State Representative Matt Shively, who facilitated the discussion, echoed the sentiment that achieving meaningfulโ health care reform will require sustained effort.”Imagining the health care system that we want, I think a lot of people in this listening session tonight wouldโค agree that guaranteed health careโ for all residents of the US should be a human right,” Shively said.โฃ
The group will consider building a campaign around proposed bills based on the outcomes of listening sessions held throughoutโค the โขstate. The next steps โremain uncertain,but participants expressed a determination to push for a moreโค equitable and accessible health care system.