PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: The famous Yogi Berra once quipped, “You can observe a lot by just watching.” What a simple statement, but how very true it is. One of the “things” I have been watching lately is health care.

Large companies all the way down to sole proprietors talk to me about health care. Not surprisingly, most have an opinion on the new Affordable Care Act. As most of you know, major portions of the Affordable Care Act are set to go into effect in 2014.

Whereas I really, really want to be optimistic about the ACA, I think I am solidly in former President Ronald Reagan’s camp when I say, “trust, but verify.”

President Reagan was using an old Russian proverb, in speaking to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev about an arms control treaty, when he first said, “doveryai, no proveryai,” which translates to “trust, but verify.” To Reagan’s credit, this philosophy worked as the world watched the former Soviet Union dismantle itself.

This phrase carries all the hope for the best possible outcome, yet it very realistically, boldly, and publically states, “I need to see the proof of my trust … the facts, please.”

This “trust but verify” philosophy is very important because sometimes things are not as they seem. What we assume is a given doesn’t always pan out the way it should. If a doctor orders a specific health maintenance prescription — tried and proven over the years — we assume it should be filled. Sadly, as money becomes a factor, this does not always happen.

For example, I was chatting with a gentleman this week and he indicated to me that he was having problems with his prescription medication. It seems as though his insurance company has recently made a change and will only cover the generic type of his specific medication. He already tried that particular generic drug before and knew it had unwanted side effects. His doctor also knew this, which is why he prescribed the by-name medication. The insurance company didn’t relent.

Frustrated, the man told the pharmacist to charge him the difference between the two drugs, only to find out this is illegal under current guidelines. Further conversation led to this happening because of … you guessed it: saving dollars and mandates by the ACA.

The bottom line here: the insurance company dictated the medicine, not the doctor. I have heard the same scenarios over and over again, and to be honest, it scares the hell out of me. Whether it is good intentions gone awry or misinterpretation of the regulations, it needs to be fixed. But who will fix it?

Politicians worrying about budget constraints and for-profit insurance companies worrying about loss ratios are the ones currently calling the shots for tomorrow’s health care policies and procedures. I, for one, am troubled about that. To truly fix a problem, the stakeholders must remove themselves from deciding the outcomes. Neither our political leaders, insurance companies, or special interest groups will allow that to happen.

No, our health care crisis is big, and a very big solution will be needed to someday fix the problem. In order for us to see it fixed, every day citizens like you and I must watch, and we must tell our stories — both good and bad.

Then, we elect the people who listen to us, and we “trust” them to make smart decisions based upon facts, not political ideologies. But it doesn’t end there. I submit to you it is our job as citizens to be the “verify” portion of the equation. It ended the Cold War with Russia; maybe it can help win America’s health care battle.

UPCOMING EVENTS: “Read ’em and Smile — Making Sense of Financial Statements” Part 2 of Business Success Seminars is April 11 and Part 3 is April 18. The seminars meet 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Village Room, Priority Business Center, 2 Main St., Topsham. Bradshaw Swanson, a Maine Small Business Development Center (SBDC) certified master business counselor, will explain the basics of accounting and how financial reports are generated, what they mean and how they can be used to understand where you’ve been and project where you want to go, financially, in your small business. Sponsored by SBDC, Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber and Brunswick Downtown Association. Fee and registration required.

What’s your end game? You might not be thinking of selling your business, but it’s still important to understand your business’ value. You’ll learn the eight key metrics that are used to determine how ready your business is to sell at the April 17 Small Business Success Seminar. The presenter is Bob Bremm, of AdviCoach. The event takes place at the Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road, Topsham, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

April’s Chamber After Hours is the best networking event in the region. The April 24 event is hosted by Wild Duck Pub at Highland Green, Topsham, from 5 to 7 p.m.

“Blogging for Business: Answering the 5 Ws” is the second in a series for growing your business through social media and online marketing. The presenter is Jennifer Barbour, a professional copywriter, blogger and new media consultant. The event is May 1, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Village Room, Priority Business Center, 2 Main St., Topsham.

Please go to the chamber’s website (www.midcoastmaine.com), scrolling calendar to register for all of these events.

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS: The chamber welcomes Inner Rivers Family Acupuncture, LLC to its membership. To discover more about chamber members, go to www.midcoastmaine.com or download MyChamberApp for use on your mobile phone or tablet.

The chamber proudly serves 740 businesses and organizations in the following communities: Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Edgecomb, Georgetown, Harpswell, Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath, Westport Island, Wiscasset and Woolwich.

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