Is There a Doctor in the House?

Wheeling Jesuit University

Darrell Shrewsbury

There is a doctor in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Dr. Margaret Staggers (D-Fayette) represents the people of West Virginia and she is an asset to the West Virginia legislature on issues concerning healthcare in the Mountain State. As an emergency room physician, she is well aware of the problems within the healthcare industry and how these problems affect healthcare professionals and their patients. Her medical career and her political career were greatly influenced by her father, the late former United States congressman Harley Staggers. He advised her that helping others is doing God’s work. During her shift at Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital emergency department, Dr. Staggers was interviewed on the topic of healthcare legislation. Delegate Staggers was first asked about current healthcare issues on the agenda. She states that the number one problem is dealing with drug abuse (M. Staggers, personal communication, June 10, 2012). She advised that she supported the new West Virginia substance abuse bill and was lobbied by pharmaceutical companies not to support this bill. She said that the pharmaceutical groups also argued that the bill would make it more difficult for people suffering from pain to receive treatment and it would be costly for pharmacies to implement the requirements set forth by the bill. Dr. Staggers, however, is not easily persuaded by these lobbyists and feels that the new law is much needed. Another issue of concern is healthcare reform. Dr. Staggers states that the biggest challenge is how to define and respond to Obamacare and that will depend on how the Supreme Court rules. She added that they will continue to work on it. In the past, Dr. Staggers has supported a bill that made it harder for physicians to prescribe narcotics. She says that five years ago doctors would prescribe narcotics for an ingrown toenail or for any cause of pain. She states that now the physicians must have a good reason for prescribing narcotics. When asked how she supported that particular legislation, she states that she fought for it all the way to the floor and it passed with a vote of 65 to 35. Staggers was asked if there was bipartisanship within the House of Delegates on issues concerning healthcare. She states that most definitely there is, especially around election time. She adds that they all work well together on the important issues. A question was raised concerning drug manufacturing and the current drug shortage in the United States. Dr. Staggers responded to this question with sarcasm stating that there is not a shortage of OxyContin or Viagra. This issue is not currently on the agenda for the state legislature; however, Dr. Staggers feels there needs to be something done to regulate pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Staggers was asked how often the state legislature meets concerning healthcare issues. She advised that she is a member of the Joint Conference Committee for Health and Human Resources and currently they meet three days every month. The Fayette County delegate was asked if she is concerned about the shortage of healthcare professionals in West Virginia, such as physicians, advanced practice nurses, and nurses. She states that she was not as concerned about the shortage as she was with the maldistribution. Dr. Staggers was asked where she got her information about the issues concerning healthcare and she stated that she gets information from the people she trusts, nurses, EMS personnel, and firefighters, which she states is where her heart is. During the interview with Dr. Staggers, she made some good points concerning healthcare in the United States. She feels that Medicare is well run with minimal cost. She believes that Obamacare is a good idea as long as bureaucrats do not interfere. She thinks that if doctors and nurses get politically involved in healthcare issues, the United States could make great strides in improving healthcare for all citizens. As we continue to seek solutions to our healthcare problems, it is refreshing to know that the people of West Virginia have a doctor in the House who is willing to help others by doing God’s work.