Health Care Reform

I had a dream. No not a MLK type dream but a dream about the health care debate. Don't ask me why but the debate was set up like an episode of JAG. There were three representatives on each team. The for and against teams. The debate lasted all of thirty seconds, the “for” team stood up and asked “how could you not be for health care reform, premiums are too high, co-pays are ridiculous, you can be denied for preexisting conditions or for no reason at all. We want to change that.” The “against” team responded, “socialism, the government should not be involved in your medical care.”

I woke up and thought to myself, that for the most part is how simplistic this “debate” has become. We went to sleep one night last spring and the health care debate that began when Democrats took over the Federal government became politicized. The Democrats ran on the promise of changing the health care system to a form more fair and effective for everyday Americans. The Republicans almost overnight became the part of “no.” Not no because health care did not need reform but no because if the 'crats were successful, then they would not be relevant in the coming years.

We must remember that like anyone else in society, politicians are interested in self-preservation. They don't want to lose their jobs any more than any other worker in America. So their every decision is calculated toward the effect it may have on their chances of retaining their jobs in two to four years. Democrats do the same thing. Even though according to their own polling numbers that show that even the majority of their constituencies want reform, as a body politic, they believe that their only option is to oppose the party in power. Is that what we elected to represent us? A party that just says no for no other reason than to oppose?
Lets be real and talk real. Most of us that are not considered upper middle class or wealthy in America are one really bad injury or sickness away from bankruptcy. Sure we have health insurance, usually provided by our employers but what happens if that company drops our policy. What if our only option is a high deductible plan. What if we don't have $5000 to pay for the deductible, or even $500? Sure, in some cases we can get the treatment but how do we pay back the debt? What has been proposed is a public option to compete against the private companies. The party of no immediately responded with attack ads indicating that this option would lead to socialized health care. We should ask them “and???” What exactly is wrong with so-called socialized health care. Other countries have had it for years and it seems to work. Sure there are problems, but is private health care so much better?

What must be realized is that there has been “socialized” health care in this country for decades, its called Medicaid and Medicare. It seems to work fairly well. Yes there are issues with the two, yet there are literally thousands of Americans that would literally be dead without it. What is amazing is that the observer cannot see why there is opposition to the public option. The party of no could care less about their constituents that have reservations about it. They do, however, care that lobbyists and special interests in the insurance industries do not want it.
Ostensibly the argument against the option centers around cost, and taxpayer support. Keep it real, according the to nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, enactment of health care reform will actually reduce the deficit as opposed to increasing it. What that means is that our “grandchildren” will not be paying for this reform and even if they did, they will be paying for Bushes wars for decades to come, so at least they will get something out of health care reform. What will they get out of the “war on terror,” that's right, protection against terror. You know what terrorizes me, to need an appendectomy and not have the money to pay for it. I'm terrified that my son will need braces in a few years and they cost as much as a new car. It terrorizes me that I have only a few options, options that cost too much and are totally dependent upon decisions made by others to maximize profits.

We need to resist the urge to be blinded by statistics and opinions, mine included as my personal reality differs from everyone else's. We need to look at the debate realistically. Will reform improve my situation or harm my situation. Do I need someone to tell me what is best for me or can I simply go to my mailbox and remove the past due bills from the specialist that my PCP referred me to that happened to be “out of network?” We are a smart, intuitive people, why don't we act like it?

I'll tell you why and continue the thought in my next blog. Because we have a President that happens to be African-American and some of us are naturally resistant to anything he may suggest.