Five Things I Know To Be 100% True About The Health Care
The Healthcare Bill passed on March 21, 2010 amid much furor from the Right and much rejoicing from the Left. People were shouting “Kill the Bill!”, while others were praising reform. I don’t know if it is a good bill or a bad one. I don’t know if it will sink or save America – and either do you. What I do know are the following five things to be absolutely, 100% factual about health care.
There Really Are Death Panels.
That’s right! Sarah Palin was correct; there are death panels. However, they aren’t the secret government plan of killing off our parents and grandparents. They are the insurance companies, themselves. The names of these death panels are known to us all: United Health Care, Aetna, Wellpoint, Humana, CIGNA, and Healthnet. These are the companies that have made billions of dollars as they nod whether your treatment is covered. These are the companies that hold the keys to life and death.
I Already Know Who Doesn’t Love Me, Baby!
I am not sure if the government wants us to live longer. This whole thing could be some wacky way of making sure we all die early, yet I know one thing: The insurance companies DO NOT care about your welfare. They are businesses and the goal of a business is to make money. By paying for your care when you are sick is counter-productive to the insurance companies. They want you to buy into their healthcare plans when you are young and healthy and have no problems. When you get older and sick, they want to dump your coverage – because you are costing them money. In an ideal world, you would just give insurance companies money from the time you were born and then, die quickly at the first sign of sickness.
I Can’t Lose What I’ve Never Had.
We’ve all heard people complaining that with “Obamacare” we’ll lose the ability to choose our own doctors and medications that we take…but waitamintute! I don’t know about you, but I’ve never had that ability! When I got sick, I would check my insurance policy, see if I was covered by the doctor I want to go to and then proceed if the insurance company agreed to pay for that doctor. If my physician prescribed me a medication that was not in “the formula”, I either didn’t get it or paid through the nose for the cure. This has been the way things have worked since I first got insurance.
No One Did Anything About Health Care Before This Reform.
George W. Bush was never for a National Health Care plan, but from the 2000 election, he was claiming that there were problems inherent in our current system that needed to be addressed. However, in the eight years that the Republicans held the White House, nothing was done to stop the health care problem. In fact, both parties stood by doing nothing but lining their pockets with insurance and pharmaceutical monies. The stance taken was to do nothing at all. Our health care system has only worsened over the last decade. Doing nothing only gets nothing done. So even if the Health Care Bill is the wrong thing to do, it is better than our old policy of doing nothing while we watch the decline.
My Insurance Bill Rises Every Year Without The Health Care Reform.
A big complaint I hear is that our insurance costs are going to rise. Here’s some news: My insurance costs have been rising every year for quite some time! At least if they increase this time, I’ll know that someone who wasn’t covered before now can go to a doctor, instead of running to the emergency room where the costs – still coming out of my taxes – aren’t as expensive as a hospital visit. The government already subsidizes hospitals for uninsured patients. Wouldn’t it be better to have people go to a doctor and insurance covers a $100 bill, than going to the hospital with the government subsidizing $200? Maybe it is just me…
Feel free to weigh in on this. I know everyone has an opinion and it is good to hear all sides of the story. Let’s hear what you have to say!
I don’t often comment on people’s blogs but I think this one deserves a comment~
Whether you swing right, left, or stay straight down the middle we all have to agree that SOMETHING had to change in our healthcare system. Is this bill perfect? No. Was the way it was passed a little strange seeing as how Congress never got a say? Clearly. All that being said, at least SOMEONE is doing SOMETHING to try and right the wrong. I know that this change is going to create a lot of lines in the sandbox, but while the left and right fight over the bucket and the mic, at least Washington is finally paying attention to the disaster that healthcare in America has turned into. At least Pres. Obama is actually taking a stance and trying to make change. I say give it the chance it deserves and see what happens. Can it really get any worse than it is right now???
all TOO true. but i agree also that i’m not sure it is the way to go. wayed in on this same subject about 6 months ago. there are other ways.
A nation that quibbles over the right to healthcare for its poorest people looks downright mean and I am glad I don’t live there. No wonder the rest of the world has lost respect for America. Start acting like just another part of the planet and pull together with everyone to make life bearable for everyone on it.
i have to disagree with the whole list the reform is not the way to go all they had to do was make a law that reduces the cost of the care i.e. force hospitals to charge the same price for an aspirin as the stores do.
I appreciate your comment, Jim, but I have a question. Let’s say you pay 8 cents an aspirin at the drug store (bottle of 100 = $8). The hospital has to have a pharmacist order those aspirin, a doctor to prescribe that aspirin, he has an assistant because someone has to take his place so he doesn’t burn out and you need a nurse to deliver it to the patient. On top of all of that, someone has to pay for the lights, clean and sanitize the room you are in, and on top of all of that, you can turn around and sue them if something happens because you didn’t need an aspirin. This does not include the person who comes in and cannot afford the 8 cents for the aspirin so the hospital gives them an aspirin free of charge. In the meantime, you insurance company turns around and tells the hospital that 8 cents is too much for an aspirin and they will pay them 3 cents for that aspirin. If they don’t like it, too bad. This is why aspirin cost $15 apiece.
Oh, and the question is: ‘How do you pay for all of that on an 8 cent aspirin?’