The Healthcare Response

I have to warn you before you start reading that this is a long, fairly political rant in response to numerous emails I have received over the past week.

I needed to get this out of my system.... And I was told not to send it to the intended recipient so here it goes for all to see.

Over the past few days I have received comments and emails regarding the proposed healthcare plan. One of them made me pretty angry when she told me that it was my choice to have a bad insurance plan. Another actually said: "Obama and his 'minions' remind me of a dangerous man that once marched across Germany, France, etc. back in the 30's."

Here is my response letter.... directed towards someone currently on Medicare.

First, I respectfully disagree. This is nothing at all like the situation you refer to in the '30s. It is actually quite offensive that you would even compare this situation to such an atrocity.

Secondly, there are approximately 46 Million Americans without health insurance. That is 18% of people under the age of 65. It is projected that due to the recession and business budget cuts, another 7 million Americans will lose their insurance through no fault of their own. That is 53 million people - 20% of the US population under 65. There are 36 Million adults 65+ that are utilizing GOVERNMENT PROVIDED MEDICARE. Why shouldn't the rest of us have access to some form of healthcare?

Those without healthcare hurt everyone. Why?

Medical related bills are the number one cause for filing bankruptcy in this country. Who pays for that? We all do. We do when the doctors/hospitals have to increase cost to paying patients and insurance companies to cover the bills that aren't getting paid due to being written off after bankruptcy has been filed. Once that happens, insurance companies pay but our premiums are raised. Premiums are so high right now that people cannot afford them as is let alone if they continue to increase.

Healthcare is far more expensive when preventative care is not an option. When someone can't take their child to the doctor when they have a severe cold because they have to choose between groceries or the visit to a doctor, that is a problem. But, it is more of a problem when that severe cold turns into a hospitalized case of pneumonia. Again, who pays for that? We all do.

But ultimately, isn't basic healthcare somewhat of a necessity? There are millions of people in situations that most people will never even begin to fathom because they have been incredibly fortunate throughout their lives. Who is it that gets to decide who has worked hard enough to deserve healthcare? There are millions of people who are just trying to get by. They are working hard. They are working multiple jobs trying do the best that they can for themselves and their families.

Overall, our country is in an awful situation right now and sometimes giving a little will go a long way to make the whole so much better.

There are people out there who have really thrived and are genuinely thankful for the help provided to them when they are down. Many people have been through difficult times and just need a helping hand to get back on their feet. Sometimes giving a little can go a long way in making a difference in people's lives.

On a note closer to home.....I started working 2 and a half years ago with fairly good health insurance. Then last year with the downturn of the economy, our benefits were cut. We moved to a plan that had a $1500 deductible. This is fairly common because small businesses can't afford the premiums for full health coverage anymore. Only 12.8% of businesses in this country have more than 20 employees. And since 70% of the people working in this country are working for small and medium businesses, lots of people are having cuts in their benefits.

In July I lost my job. To continue my awful insurance, it is $160 a month. If I need migraine medicine, I can't have it because it costs $372 for 9 pills. If I need to go to the doctor for anything - like my chronic strep throat, I can't do it because the visit to the doctor is $120, the strep test is another $57 and then paying for antibiotics is another $35. All in all, a case of strep throat cost $212. That's a lot of money when I don't have an income anymore. And finding a new job is not looking all that promising seeing as how 1 in 10 people in this country are unemployed and actively seeking a job.

Even my mom can't be insured because she had cancer more than twenty years ago. Does it make sense that since she had cancer once a long time ago that she should have to suffer if it ever comes back because insurance won't cover her and she can't even afford the first week of treatment?

So I ask this of you. Consider your children and grandchildren and other people like us who are working hard and just trying to get by. I don't ask for a lot but it would be nice not to have to worry about getting sick. You may not think that it is a big deal since you are covered, but to me, it is. To a lot of other people (46 million - soon to be 53 million), it is.

There may be flaws in the overall plan - there always are. But we are at a point when something needs to be done. There needs to be a way for people to have insurance regardless of the fact that they have been sick before. There needs to be a way for people to provide health care to their families when they are out of work in this troubled economy. There needs to be a way to protect ourselves from financially struggling for the rest of our lives because of a single incident when we are young.

It is our responsibility to do something that will help. We all have to remember how fortunate we are and try to support those in need.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17