Kim and Chris Casteel, owners of Anew Life in Detroit, shared their views on the key issues influencing their votes. They stressed the significance of healthcare, the economy, and the environment. The couple voiced concerns about insurance regulations, patient coverage, and policies affecting their business. They also called for stronger regulations to protect the healthcare system from private equity exploitation.
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Planet Detroit sat down with Kim and Chris Casteel, a married couple who own and operate Anew Life, a custom prosthetics and orthotics manufacturing provider in Detroit. As small business owners in the healthcare industry, Kim and Chris shared their perspectives on the key issues driving their voting decisions this year.
Meghan: You both work in the healthcare industry. How do health, climate and environmental factors factor into your voting decisions?
Kim: Health affects our voting decisions a lot. Policies that impact healthcare can influence our ability to provide care to our patients and manage our business. Things like insurance regulations, coverage for our patients and policies that streamline processes are really important.
Chris: We’re also very concerned about the environment, especially the air quality issues in Detroit. High pollution and particle matter levels can lead to serious respiratory problems and other health issues. That’s a big factor for us.
Meghan: What are your top priorities when it comes to this election?
Chris: For me, the top issues are a functioning government, the economy, and healthcare. A well-functioning government is crucial, and the economy impacts jobs and inflation, which are so important. And of course, healthcare is critical – if you don’t have your health, it’s hard to participate in anything else.
Kim: I agree. The economy is number one for me because it creates jobs and promotes stability. Healthcare is second, including access to reproductive healthcare like abortion. And education is third since it drives economic growth and better health outcomes.
Meghan: How have the recent party conventions and debates addressed your key concerns?
Kim: I watched some of the Democratic convention, and they really emphasized protecting the Affordable Care Act and making healthcare more accessible. That was very important to me. They also talked about the importance of addressing climate change.
Chris: The Republicans, on the other hand, seemed more focused on issues like the opioid crisis and immigration. They wanted to repeal the ACA without a real backup plan, which is very concerning for our business and our patients.
Meghan: What other issues or concerns do you feel haven’t been adequately addressed by the candidates?
Chris: One big issue for me is the role of private equity in healthcare. These groups often focus on short-term profits rather than long-term, sustainable care. We need stronger regulation and policies to protect the healthcare system from being exploited.
Kim: Absolutely. The consolidation of insurance, pharmaceutical, and hospital companies into these huge monopolies is really troubling. They can essentially decide who lives or dies based on coverage decisions. That needs to be addressed.
