Universal health care. Poor Hillary Clinton saw this issue as being of utmost importance in 1993. Everyone criticized her and shot down her proposals. She has taken a lot of flack for being a powerful smart woman, and the idea was a head of its time. *She* was ahead of her time- but then, someone had to open the door to ideas like this one.
We are, as Obama has stated, the only industrialized nation in the world who does not provide health care for its citizens.
I've had my finances destroyed 3 times because of lupus. Not just the not being able to work for a year at a time, but the medical (and life) expenses that pile up while you're not working. I spent my savings, I emptied out my mutual funds, and then I went into debt. 3 times. For a year, I lived in a friend's computer room, sleeping on an air mattress with my things in storage while I tried to get my life back together.
I have a friend who lives in England who has cancer. He's paying basically nothing for his treatment, and getting at least as good care as any of us over here would get.
He's walking around in a dream-like state trying to deal with the illness, working as much as his body will allow him. But *not* having that added stress (which makes your health worse, I might add) of wondering if you'll lose your home and or go bankrupt because of the illness. After 16 years of lupus repeatedly destroying my savings, I can't imagine what a relief it would be to "only" have to deal with the illness! Well, actually I can. I was added to my husband's corporate health insurance this year, and it is *so* much better than Medicaid or medicare. I am thanksful for both fo those insurance programs, as they covered me once I was no longer able to get insurance (pre-exiting condition), but unfortunately, the reimbursement from those programs is no so low that few doctors are accepting either of those anymore. And the prescription covereage on medicare is lousy. Last year I paid $6000 out of pocket for prescriptions- and I ahd insurnace!
Further, I am still concerned that if me hubby loses his job (they laid off 800 people last week), I could be left with "just" medicare again, and back to paying $6000 out of pocket a year again.
Did I mention that Americans pay more for the same drug than any other country, and that our government made it illegal for people to buy drugs in Canada and bring them back?
Let's hope our government finally makes health care affordable and accessible to all. I'm in good shape this year, but I haven't forgotten that many people are not in good shape, and I'm only one hubby's layoff away from not being good shape myself. Hoping and praying for big changes for the good of our country.
5 comments:
You know it constantly amazes me that so many people worry about what they call "socialized medicine". I had a discussion about this at the hospital hot water therapy pool today. This woman says "If we have socialized medicine, it would be horrible!" And I said "Horrible? like the other countries that have it and have lower mortality rates, lower infant death rates, and higher life expectancy than the US at lower cost?"
People just don't think. It's like their minds are stuck in ruts they can't climb out of no matter what evidence is presented.
Ouch. That's a big worry. It's insane, having health care tied to employment in such a shaky economy. I agree with Kate's comment. I've lived in France and found health care there surprisingly available and cheap, even for visitors. Friends there are appalled to hear what we spend here. People I know who seem to have their heads screwed on right in most other ways say they're mistrustful of a plan that "smacks of socialism". I don't get it--why do they shoot themselves in the foot, voting against their own interests, again and again?? Am hoping--and voting--for the best for all of us...
it amazes me too that people still believe we have the "best health care system in the world."
Not by how the world health organization defines it!
Not only is it scary to have your health insurance tied to your job when your job could be taken from you at any moment... i've noticed for years that people choose jobs, even careers, based entirely on benefits. And even get married just for health care benefits. (The new "green card marriage?") Talk about letting this one issue control your entire life.
AMEN! You said exactly what I feel. I just didn't know how to write it down. May I feature you and this post on my blog.... Sjogrens and Me?
Thanks!
I was at work and my friend Vicky (from Sjogrens and Me) asked me to read this post, and about halfway through it I looked up and saw your name and picture. I said "OMG! She taught me guitar for like a year, and I have her CD, and she used to live around here!" You probably don't remember me but it was about 11 years ago and my name was Jenny Wardlaw back then. Just thought I'd say hi!
I agree that we need universal health care. I know we are probably a long way from it still, because Americans have been brainwashed to think it would take AWAY freedom. Truly, it would give freedom to many people who are currently enslaved by debt and/or fearing for their lives. I had never really looked at it from the perspective of someone with a chronic illness. My mom is a cancer survivor and is now dealing with fibromyalgia, but she has decent insurance. A few months ago, with no notice whatsoever, she was told her extremely expensive arthritis medicine which allowed her to get through each day would no longer be covered by her insurance. She actually went without it for a little while, but luckily they changed their minds and decided to continue covering it. They are playing around with people's lives to make a few more bucks.
Anyway, I will probably be back to read more later. I blog too, so I might add you to my list.
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