Health Care Reform & Why We Need It!
For my readers that have been with me longer, you know that I have done a few Sundays posting on healthcare reform. I know this is a volatile subject with many. There is rhetoric on both sides for sure but for me, the lies & misrepresentations coming from the very far right push me to continue to post about the need for reform. Just this past week, both Anthem/Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Aetna have found ways to eliminate hundreds of thousands of people from coverage. These are people that already had insurance but now will not. Even if you are a person that works for a company that provides insurance, don't think the insurance companies can't raise your rates to unaffordable rates. One small thing that puts you in their version of higher risk or pre-existing is going to impact your life too! OR, what if you lose your job???
This is not just about people that do not work. I had someone say that to me the other day. There are over 40 million people that do work but because they are independent consultants or very small business owners or self-employed, the rates to buy insurance on the open market are just ridiculously high. The average person can't afford this. Plus, if you have been even slightly sick, you might as well forget it. Your rates are either beyond manageable or you just will not get insurance. A pregnant women is deemed as a pre-existing condition. That is just crazy!
There are people that lost jobs or work 2-3 part-time jobs just to get by that are not even included in these numbers. Many that have lost their jobs are working a number of part time jobs to get by & they don't get insurance & they are working their butts off. They can barely keep up with bills doing that & many are falling behind. It is not that they are not trying. Working 3 jobs to make up for 1 lost job is definitely working hard in my eyes! These are not lazy people!
Anyway, here is another great article talking to all the points people use to say no healthcare reform & this lady's counterpoint to that. I hope you take the time to read this.
Why I take health care reform personally -- and you should too
Health care reform is more than a political issue for me. It’s personal.
I write about health care reform and it is a frequent topic of conversation in my life. To those who stand against reform, nothing I say will sway them. They see even minor reform through the lens of socialism, or argue that the constitution does not grant us a right to health care, or speak of the tremendous cost.
This would be a great place to insert the usual point/counter-point arguments, but that’s not where I want to lead the discussion today. This isn’t about politics; it’s personal.
I’m a 50-year old female with a chronic illness who is not eligible for group health insurance. In my state all insurers, with one exception, are free to refuse coverage to an individual. That one insurer can choose the policy and charge what they wish because there is no legal cap on premiums, nor is there a high risk pool. I live in a state that guarantees coverage -- up until the moment its citizens are priced out of the market. Premiums, high deductibles, and out-of-pocket fees are rising annually at an astronomical rate, and I’m a long way from Medicare. One day I’ll get the increase notice that tips the scale.
There is no shortage of people willing to give me advice and/or excuses, though.
Opponents of reform tell me health care is not my right. Those people are generally healthy or have decent coverage or a sense of entitlement for themselves.
They tell me that it’s not fair that people who are young and healthy don’t buy insurance until they are sick. A very good point, but that’s not me. The insurance industry happily accepted my premium payments for three decades while I was in good health. Those premiums helped to cover costs for the uninsured who used the system but couldn’t afford to pay. Despite my stellar record of continuing coverage throughout adulthood, insurers are not particularly fond of me now.
I hear the problem is illegal immigrants. Maybe or maybe not, but I’m a citizen and that argument doesn’t do me much good. I’ve always been a contributing member of society. My tax dollars fund Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and ensure health insurance coverage for my representatives in Congress. My tax dollars also contribute to welfare and food stamps and any number of social programs designed to help others. Gratefully, I’ve never had the need for any of those programs myself. I don’t begrudge those who have.
So apply for disability they say. But I’m not unable to work. I have a chronic illness that presents a major challenge to working straight eight-hour days, so I have two part-time jobs and a flexible work schedule. It is a good solution and I am baffled as to why so many people advise me to stop working in exchange for a disability payment. If and when I ever face that need, I won’t hesitate, but please don’t rush me. Besides, Social Security Disability is not the same as health insurance. There is a two-year wait from onset of disability benefits until eligibility for Medicaid kicks in.
Some people argue about my costs and say I must be exaggerating or that I don’t know how to shop around. Are you kidding me? My only theory for this is that by blaming people like me, they can rest easier about their own fate, secure in the knowledge that it can’t happen to them.
It’s the American lifestyle that must be changed. Poor diet, obesity, smoking, and drug and alcohol abuse add to our health care costs. No argument here but, again, none of these is to blame for my predicament.
It’s un-American they say. I’m not sure I completely understand that argument. Sounds like they want me to take one for the team, but it’s a bitter pill to swallow -- that my country says it’s okay for me to be weeded out now that I have an illness; that the for-profit insurance industry holds all the cards; that I don’t deserve options. My story is not a particularly dramatic one; there are people in far more dire circumstances than I who are cast aside. (See related reading at the bottom of this post.) And, no, I don’t mind contributing my tax dollars to help those who cannot work or otherwise would have no access to health care. If that’s un-American then pronounce me guilty.
But reform, especially with a public option, will drive insurers out of business! Oh, you mean the very insurers who would prefer that I, and millions of people like me, go quietly into the night? Sorry, but I have a hard time working up even a slice of sympathy.
No one is without health care -- the emergency room can’t turn you away. But neither will the emergency room give me preventative care or the ongoing care that I need.
People will take advantage and cheat the system, adding to the cost. Of course they will. There are thieves among us and there always will be. We do our best to make it harder for them, but we can’t allow the bad guys to stop us from doing the right thing.
I wrote my representative in Congress, asking him to support his constituents who desperately need reform. His response ignored my concerns entirely, instead imploring me to have some consideration for the high-income earners who may see a tax hike. Brrr.... now that’s cold.
Am I looking for a free ride? Absolutely not. I simply what most people want -- a fair shake and the knowledge that I am not a less-than-worthy American by virtue of my health status and how I happen to earn my living. I want a system that makes some kind of sense. I want Congress to put their own selfish interests aside for a change and work on that, however naïve that may sound.
There is nothing out of the ordinary about my situation. Just an average American with an average story.
Why anyone, aside from members of Congress, feels secure about their health care at this point is beyond me. No one is safe. Lose your job, use up COBRA, get sick... and even if you’ve played by all the rules, you’ll be taking one for the team, too.
Out of luck, out of access to health care. When that day comes, if you stood against reform, it should be a great honor to stand by your principles and take it quietly. Me? I take it personally.
Stories about who and what reform is all about:
Closed Minds Shout Down Disabled Woman in Wheelchair
Young Man Dies for Lack of Public Option
6 Shockers about Women’s Health Care
Toddler Too Small for Health Insurance
Greedy Insurers Dumping the "Dogs"
Man Joins Army to Save Wife’s Life
Rape Victim Deemed Uninsurable for Seeking Treatment for Rape
Please feel free to share your stories. I understand that people will disagree with me but please do so respectfully.
I always find it distressing when some people say they don't want the gov't interfering with their relationship with their doctor--for those that are lucky enough to have insurance, the insurance company is making the significant decision making, not the doctor. For those that have gov't run insurance, like public/gov't employees, seniors, and veterans, the majority are quite satisfied with their coverage and treatment. For the 47 million that don't have insurance, millions are children and millions more are working, but without access to healthcare insurance thru their employers. One prime culprit is WalMart--the largest retailer in the world (I think)--who intentionally keeps their employees work hours below the number which would qualify them for eligibility to buy insurance. Also, because the cost of insurance is so high, and their wages are not, the insurance is not affordable. And guess who pays for all these people when they get sick--you and me and the rest of those that are insured. I'd prefer to spread the cost around and make insurance more affordable. Further PREVENTIVE treatment is far and above more INEXPENSIVE that sick care. It's about what's right and moral and what's most cost effective. Do we wish to continue to be a society that in effect kills people by denying them care?? I'd call that manslaughter. It's certainly not a pro-life position, nor a 'thou shall not kill' approach to life.
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As always, you are very knowledgeable on this stuff. And I am so with the fact that we HAVE to have preventative care! Treating a person after it is way too late is going to cost us all more not only in $$ but morally! Thx as always for your input on this!
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Jody - I love the way you share your passions and opinions with us. I have to say that I'm not as well informed on the whole health care reform bills as I should be. I'll definitely do some research.
I know it needs to be fixed, because it definitely is broken.
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Diane, thx for reading & commenting! I have a feeling I may be on a differing opinion than some of my readers but we all are in this together. I think we all want reform for sure. It is just how to get it done & go about it.
Seniors & our senate & house along with gov't employees all have great healthcare & I don't see why we should not have what our politicians have. I wonder if they were told to give up theirs & try to buy on the open market if some would change their opinions. Hard to say but I think they would if they knew how bad it was personally.
As always, thx for reading & thinking about it! It definitely needs to be fixed somehow as too many people are dieing due to no care & others that have insurance go bankrupt even with coverage.
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There is no doubt that the system needs fixed, I am just not sure that the ideas being proposed by our government are the best way to fix it. You present some compelling arguments, and having been a "walking heart attack" (extremely high BP, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar) without health insurance, I feel as if I understand some of your points. I also had to have a tooth pulled during that time because I couldn't afford to fix it. You don't grow those back.
As I see things, going from our current system to the one being proposed takes those who are being thrown under the bus now and pulls them out from under it, but then throws others under there. I agree there should be no sympathy for insurance companies who use immoral practices. I also think there should be some serious tort reform. The fear I have is that when we start regulating how much a doctor is paid for what they do, we start taking away their motivation to do the work they do. That is already happening, but not from a legal perspective, instead from an insurance perspective. Good GPs are choosing to go into other industries (such as drug sales) because they cannot make the kind of money they feel they should make for the cost of their education, their knowledge, and the stress of their job. That is largely the result of malpractice insurance.
I could do a whole post on this subject right here in a comment, but I'll end here by saying I agree with you, something has to change. I am just not sure we agree on what that is. Among other things, I think our congress needs to man up (not meant to be a sexist remark, just not sure of another way to say it) and quit piling this thing full of pork. If they would quit worrying so much about how to bribe people to vote for it, and worry about how to make it better, it would benefit us all. That comment certainly isn't pointed at the democrats - politicians of all beliefs are incredibly guilty of that.
Jody, thanks for the thought-provoking and heart-felt post. I really do feel for you. Believe me, I do.
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Steve thank you so much for your great thoughts! I think as a country, we are in a dilemma & we have to fix this somehow. I so agree with this - you wrote: If they would quit worrying so much about how to bribe people to vote for it, and worry about how to make it better, it would benefit us all. That comment certainly isn't pointed at the democrats - politicians of all beliefs are incredibly guilty of that.
I made a comment to Diane on our politicians trying to buy what they have on the open market & then see how they feel. I think this would put a lot in perspective for them.
Yes, we need to fix this somehow & just watching this so called process in DC is craziness. No wonder they get nothing done with they way they like to delay there. They need to change the whole political process to work better along with our healthcare!
I feel for you on teeth, as you well know from my teeth posts! That is also an area that needs help. More people would keep their teeth if dental care was out there & affordable, but it is not affordable & there is no good insurance for that either! Those 1-800 dentist commercials drive me crazy! I would go all the time if it was affordable!
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Just as the Military/Industrial complex has controlled our lives, so does the Insurance/Health Care Provider complex. When we learn to allocate our resources is a sane direction with both of those, we will have "reform." Until then, not so good.
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So friggin true Dr. J. Thx for commenting!
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I don't like the bill under consideration right now, but reform is needed. I think we should be looking at something closer to the Swiss model, though.
Reform could make the US more competitive. I work in HR and it's crazy how many people hate their jobs but don't seek out their true calling because their children have disabilities or they have a spouse with a pre-existing condition. They can't get insurance on the free market so they don't start a new business or use their skills in a way that would grow the economy.
How can we expect to remain a competitive nation on the world market under these conditions?
My husband would like to found an outreach for troubled teens, but he has Hep C, so no start-up business or charity for him. None for me either, were I so inclined. I have asthma. We can't get affordable insurance on the free market, so we keep working for the man.
HIPPA was a step in the right direction, but didn't go far enough. It's horrible to hear a man on the phone, in a panic because his wife divorced him and left him with the kids, and the daughter with scoliosis won't be eligible to be put on his insurance plan for another six months and won't be covered for anything scoliosis-related for another year after that.
If people don't want a public option for health care, they should say what their reform plan is. How can we lower costs so we don't need insurance just to afford basic medicine and a few routine medical tests? My insurer recently quit covering one of my asthma meds and I can't afford it on my own. Nice to know that instead of a faceless bureaucrat making my health care decisions, a faceless corporate drone is doing it instead. End result feels pretty much the same!
We pride ourselves on our creativity and get-it-done spirit in America, so I find it remarkable that so many just shrug and say everything is fine. It's not fine. There are other ways to do this, and public-vs-private is just a false dichotomy. We need to get creative and find a solution, because there's a better way and I refuse to believe Americans can't lead the way in making excellent health care affordable for all its citizens. We're just not trying hard enough.
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bunnygirl, thank you so much for your very insightful comments!!! I don't even know where to start but to say that you are right on in your thoughts!
And your points on people that stay in jobs for the insurance! SO TRUE! I have no pre-existing conditions but I still did that for years. Now I am thinking about getting back into that craziness due to insurance & just when I am trying to be me.
Thank you so much for visiting & your great points!!!
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I am afraid of the reality. My husband lost his job two years ago, and we had no insurance for our family of 5. Now we do...but for how long?
My husband is from France and doesn't like their health-lack-of-care system. It may be quite flawed, but I think it's better than nothing.
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Gina, thank you for reading & commenting! Healthcare for all is such a complex issue but I think we all agree that it is flawed & needs to be fixed. I just wish the politicians would take their head out of the sand & the hands out of the pockets of lobbyists and insurance companies!
Those insured are all 1 step away from none with what is going on right now.
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We went without insurance for years being self employed. I now have insurance for myself through my job, buy my husband still does not have any. We cannot afford $800 a month just to cover him on top of the $150 a month for me. It's totally outrageous. I've been pushing for health care reform since the Clintons tried it way back when.
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Lori, thx for commenting & your personal story! It makes it more real for others that don't understand it or have company insurance & really don't get how expensive it is for the self employed. People can spend tons of money just on catastrophic health insurance & that is a lot of $$ too but that does not get a person into the doctor's office for preventative care.
Thx again!
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Good post and reader comments! I was a supporter of health care reform prior to losing my job, and I'm even more supportive now. I'm looking at $300/month health insurance with a $5,000 deductible after COBRA runs out next year. And I'm one of the fortunate ones.
Many health care opponents state government involvement in health decisions as one of their primary concerns. I admit to some quibbles with that myself, but I wonder how different that is from the interference by the insurance companies in health decisions NOW. They determine who we can see, what medications we take, what treatments are allowed, and so on.
It's all a big ol' mess is what it is.
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Cammy, thx for your commenting! Great points!
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Excellents comments all around. bunnygirl's post really touched me--thanks--and was very articulate.
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I absolutely believe that health care is a human right.
And seriously, even if someone is a horrible human being who doesn't care about other people being unwell, health care for everyone is just good public policy: sick people beget more sick people.
A really great book I'm reading about various other health care systems and what we can learn from them is The Healing of America- this guy had a bum shoulder and went all over the world getting it diagnosed and treated and on the way found out about all the diferent healthcare systems. It's really cool!
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Lele, thank you so much for commenting! I agree with you that we all deserve care. We should not be asking people to choose between their life & losing their home & all else if not even more than that! Definitely will check out that book. THX!!!!!!!!!
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