American health care costs too much, covers too few and hurts so many Americans. Yet American know more about Britney Spears than about health care. This was the message of the former health commissioner of Philadelphia, who was the Cabrini Day keynote speaker.
Dr. Walter Tsou said Americans have to learn more about the choices the country needs to make in order to improve the health care system.
Tsou said, “What we really need is to get health care plans that are as good as those given to members of Congress.”
Tsou spoke at this year’s Cabrini Day, which took place in the Grace Hall Atrium on Thursday, Nov. 13.
Tsou said people must relate health care to their own everyday values and missions in order to see any change.
Three improvements that Tsou suggested for health care were the need for easier access to care, cost containment and an adequate quality of care. According to Tsou, $2.4 trillion will be spent on health care in 2008.
The economy is market driven, which means the United States is unable to separate health care from the economy, that they are very much connected.
Tsou pointed out that the Republican and Democratic parties have polar-opposite views on the issues of health care. Sen. John McCain said health care was a responsibility while Sen. Barack Obama said health care is a right.
“All bets are on that we could do better without a recession,” Tsou said. “All of us need to more engaged in this effort.”
The Plenary Session began around 10 a.m. Dr. Marie Angelella George, only a couple of days before becoming inaugurated as president of Cabrini College, made her way to the podium to pronounce the winners of the three awards.
David Chiles named Beth Briggs ’10 psychology and sociology majors and Christine Graf ’09 English and communication major as recipients of the Mastronardi Service and Leadership Award, which is given for outstanding student performance both academically and outside of the classroom.
Public safety officer, Michelle McCabe was the first in her department to receive the Cabrini Staff Spirit Award. This honor is usually given to a staff member who is characterized as contributing to the core values of the College. Her popularity and respect from both students and faculty was evident since she began her work at Cabrini, George emphasized during her speech.
The third and final honor, the Cabrini Partnership Award, was accepted by Sr. Barbara Staley, from the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. This recognition is to praise Cabrini Ministries serving at St. Philip’s Mission in Swaziland, Africa.
“I want to commend the faculty for choosing such a timely topic [health care and social justice] on such a historic Cabrini Day,” George said.
