Vote to Change Healthcare Policies

Mid-term elections are approaching. If you have the ability to vote, then this is a chance to help determine the direction of our healthcare policies.

There are many issues important to each of us. To people who follow my blog, the most important healthcare issues have to do with how we treat people in pain and addiction.

What Many Politicians Don’t Seem to Understand

Many politicians don’t seem understand how the opioid crisis has adversely affected most people in pain. Even people in severe post-op pain are allowed to suffer because of misguided policies and uninformed clinicians. They also apparently don’t grasp the fact that people with addiction deserve affordable, timely, and effective treatment.

Next Tuesday, you have a chance to make your voice heard. I have urged you all to write letters to your congressman and senators. Now you can evaluate how well they have done. To the extent you believe it may be appropriate, you can choose successors who might do a better job.

Be sure you know your candidates’ positions on healthcare, access to pain therapy, and access to treatment for addictions. It is a time to be color blind, favoring neither red nor blue. Instead, vote for those candidates whose goals are most closely aligned with your best interests.

State and City Elections Matter

The national political choices matter, too, but your state and city elections may be more important. Therefore, put in the effort to vote responsibly. Study each candidate on an individual basis, and ignore their political parties. Volunteer for the candidate who is committed to helping you.

If you don’t know who your candidates are, please begin your research at this government web site. Select your state or territory from the drop-down box. This will bring you to the page for your local election.

Unfortunately, these pages are not standardized. Some of them may be frustrating to navigate, because they may not be intuitive. However, your local state or territory’s election page should contain these common elements: information about the upcoming election; the candidates; other questions that may be on the ballot; and your polling place.

Voting is a privilege that we should never take for granted. Good luck with making the best choices, and let’s hope we elect people who have our interests as their priority.