Suzie Bell has a long history of seeing something that needs to be done, and doing it. She and her husband, Dr. Dan Bell, are co-founders of the Eureka Christian Health Outreach (ECHO) clinic, founded in 2005, that has received national attention for its unique model of providing care to those in need. More recently, the Bells have overseen the establishment of the ECHO Village to provide affordable housing in Eureka Springs.
Suzie Bell is now running in the Democratic Primary for the Arkansas House of Representatives District 97.
“If I see a problem, I just get after it like I did with healthcare in our community,” Bell said. “Here’s the bottom line: I’m distressed with the political condition. I’ve done all the things I feel I can do such as sign petitions, do protests and call my congressmen. You can only yell at the TV so long.
“The next step is to try to make a change from within the political system. What inspires me are my grandchildren because they have their whole future ahead of them and I want them to grow up in a world that is more loving, less divisive and more accepting of whoever they end up being.”
Bell sees a lot of problems that need to be addressed, and said she has decided to run for elective office despite how it will impact her and her family personally and financially.
“I feel strongly we need reasonable elected official who can’t be bought out by big money and Super PACS [Political Action Committees],” Bell said. “There is corruption in Little Rock. I know there are bribes going on. And people are losing their focus and their values.”
While 23 Red states have turned down an expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, the Arkansas Medicaid expansion has provided coverage to 240,000 low-income state residents. But renewal of the program has faced legislative threats each year. Most recently, it only got approved by requiring many of the recipients to prove that they are either employed or looking for work.
Bell said the Medicaid expansion has been a godsend to their ECHO patients and others throughout the state.
“When you are poor, have no insurance and depend on the free health clinic, you have to put up with your illness until the next clinic,” she said. “We know that is not how it should be. You shouldn’t have to decide whether to buy a child’s school supplies or medicine. Our clinic is not a solution. We are a Band-Aid® that helps people. If you are very ill, you can’t depend only on a once-a-month clinic.”
She said some lawmakers don’t understand that failing to provide health care costs the state more in the long run. For example, caring for diabetes can end up preventing serious and costly health problems such as amputations or nursing home care.
“Taxpayers end up paying a large bill if we let someone get no care, and then wait until they become seriously ill,” Bell said. “They end up going to the emergency room, which is far more expensive. We have to be more forward thinking about how we provide healthcare. Also, when people are ill they can no longer work and are more reliant on programs like food stamps.”
Some people might question if a Democrat in Carroll County can win a seat in the Arkansas House because the county is heavily Republican. Bell believes she can pull it off.
“If people will be open and reasonable and give me a chance, I’m a doer,” Bell said. “I’m not going to go down there and sit and do a learning curve. I’m ready to get busy. I have all kinds of ideas. I’m definitely not afraid of hard work.”
There were some Republican and Democratic women legislators who worked together in the most recent session of the legislature on bills to allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals students to get in-state tuition at state colleges, and DACA nursing graduates to work. Bell points to that as evidence there is really more agreement than there is disagreement.
“It’s just about working out the fine details,” she said. “There are really good ideas. It doesn’t matter what label you identify yourself with. We need to sit down and work together and help people in our community. I think that we need to bring some honesty and integrity back to government. If people will give me a chance, they are going to find out I can represent them fairly and honestly.
“Hopefully people will rise up and say we are sick of the fighting and division. I think civility, decency and honesty is the way to take the higher ground, and that plays into my Christian foundation. As Christians, we are not supposed to just talk about it but go out and care for the least, the lost and the last. There is a way government can do this. With healthcare, we can absolutely take care of people.”
Bell said she is open to and approachable; people can talk to her and give her ideas.
“We made ECHO Clinic by listening to people and taking their suggestions,” Bell said. “We are doing the same thing with the ECHO Village. It is always a team effort and that’s always the best approach. I’m used to working with people all the time with how to work out solutions for say, healthcare and that sort of thing. I really believe we share in common more than we have differences. I think we can work together and be reasonable. I think most people are very reasonable people.”
Suzie Bell is a woman who walks the walk! She does what she says she’s going to do! And has integrity galore!
She has my vote!
She’s the right person for this time. We are blessed that she is willing to make the sacrifice! I intend to not just vote for her but help her all I can. This is a turning point in this region’s political atmosphere.
It takes a village. We are all in this together. I hope Susie will join with us. We are meeting in Little Rock on Tuesday. Health housing transportation education the environment and jobs matter. It takes courage to become a public servant. Healing Racism is vital in our state. With three million people in the state and being the wealthiest state per capital we can do this. We can lead the way. The Natural State can be a state of well being for all. Let’s Venture Together.