I spent 37 years practicing medicine here in Springfield. My wife Susan was an oncology nurse for 17 years. We know how critical it is for families to have good healthcare when they need it, and we also know that it doesn’t matter one bit how good the healthcare is if you can’t afford to pay for it.
That’s why we’re voting for Betsy Fogle for state Senate.
I first met Betsy when I got involved in the push for Medicaid expansion. As a social worker, she connected folks in Springfield with community health services — some of the same patients who visited me after trips to the emergency department with strokes, organ failure, and severe disabilities that could have been prevented had they had gotten timely care.
Betsy has always believed it’s not
enough to make sure someone has good medical coverage; they also need access to dental and mental health care, as well as healthy food and housing.
In fact, her experiences working with patients at Jordan Valley Community Health Center made her realize that politicians weren’t listening to the real needs of our community, and that she needed to take her advocacy to the state capitol. Since then, she’s been a tireless champion for the people of Springfield, and across Missouri.
When Gov. Kehoe tried to pass his Everything Tax, Melanie Stinnett supported it, but Betsy had our backs from the start. She led the fight in the House, using her leadership role on the Budget Committee to make sure her colleagues in the legislature — and all of us back home in Springfield — understood that this measure would raise the cost of things Missourians are already struggling to afford, like prescription medication, doctor’s visits, and lab work.
Betsy joined me, my wife, and 84% of Springfield voters in REJECTING it when it went to a vote of the people.
When it comes to protecting our communities, Betsy does not back down. She personally filed the bill to try to restore earned paid sick days after lawmakers overturned what voters won, because she knows that no parent should have to choose between a paycheck and getting their kid to the doctor. She helped expand healthcare access for new mothers.
She has championed strong funding to support Missourians with disabilities, including in her role as the ranking member on the state’s budget committee. Betsy has fought against certain lawmakers’ efforts to defund these important services, while securing funding for mental healthcare and behavioral and pediatric crisis centers in Springfield.
Betsy has made affordable healthcare a top priority in the legislature, and she has embodied the most important thing we learn as doctors: "first, do no harm."
It’s no surprise that Betsy will do whatever it takes to fight for our community — after all, you don’t get crowned Captain Springfield for nothing!
So on Nov. 3, Captain Springfield has our votes for state Senate. I hope she has yours, too.
Dr. John Mihalevich is a retired internist in Springfield.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: As a doctor who cared for Springfield for decades, Fogle has my vote
