HEALTHCARE

"The Republicans have a new healthcare proposal: Just say NO to illness"

~Mark Russell, political commentator and satirist~

Today I have decided to bring up the ever growing concern of healthcare. There is not a single person in this country that doesn't think there is a healthcare problem that needs to be fixed. Well, perhaps I should recant somewhat. If you are rich and money is no concern, perhaps healthcare is not something you worry about.

As for the rest of us Americans, let us take a gander at some workings surrounding this situation. A liberal co-worker of mine (and good friend, I might add) occasionally likes to point out that "America is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not have universal healthcare."

First off, for those not familure with the concept of universal healthcare (UHC,) essentially it means that every benefit of modern medicine is offered to every living citizen regardless of age, race, or income.

Now, there are pros and cons to this concept as it exist. Personally, I believe everyone deserves the very best medical attention possible. I subscribe to UHC. But let's look here: Our neighbors to the north, Canada, has UHC, as Michael Moore pointed out in one of his cute lil documentaries.

The problem with UHC is that you may have to wait in line for treatment. If you need a hip replacement, you go on a waiting list. Depending on the severity of your condition depends on where you go on the list. It's called "triage." If the idea of triage upsets you, stay out of the ER, every patient is subjected to it.

(American Triage)

It is to my understanding that docs in Canada have been arrested for performing procedures on patients outside of the triage system. "Illegal operations:" essentially, the doc took cash from the patient to perform the operation rather than the patient going through the system.

Mexicans constantly come across the border to America for various benefits, not least of which is medical attention at the expense of the American taxpayer. We have cleaner facilities, advanced technology, better trained docs, etc. Canadians also come to America for procedures to avoid the Canadian system of having to wait. We have people on BOTH SIDES of the border wanting our med care.

On the flip-side: Americans are increasingly becoming disgusted with the FDA and the lack of treatment options for such things as cancer. Therefore; they want the cheaper Canadian Meds and those (who can afford it) go to, interestingly enough, Mexico, where they HAVE NO FDA deciding what meds are manufactored by greedy pharmeceutical companies. Also, we know how Mexicans rather enjoy dollers to pesos, so they try a lil harder. Yes, believe it or not, the Mexican medical field is in competetion (and not doing too bad, I hear) with American treatment options.

We have an interesting paradox. So what do we do? I believe we ALL deserve EQUAL treatment. But, what if you can afford to have treatment sooner? Should your well qualified physician risk his license and livelihood to treat you outside the system? I don't think so. I think UHC should be in full force. And if you have the money to not wait, then by all means, spend it. But for those of us who don't have the money, well, at least we know we WILL get treatment. Not just treatment, but the same as the guy that just dished out $20K.

One personal example I have: a good friend who is diabetic. He's been told by his doc that new kidneys will eventually be needed, sooner rather than later. Just to get ON the donor list, he needs something in the neighborhood of $75K. Note: That does NOT include the procedure. Well, George Soros he aint. Under UHC, someday he WILL get what he needs. Under the present system, he's S.O.L. So, it's not that he CAN'T be helped, it's the system that, in effect, is killing him.

(Systematic killing. Think of this as your loved one WITHOUT healthcare!)

Also, I must point out that I do understand the reason for triage and the waiting list. Doc's offices across the country would be flooded with people once they found out they could now have treatment for something they were previously suffering from.

Now, there's the arguements. There are some valid ones, but pale in comparison, I think. "I don't want MY tax dollers going to treat someone who has cancer from smoking." Well, think of it this way, the way they are putting stiffer "sin-taxes" on tobacco, I think they will be paying for treatment themselves. Think of it as a savings account on future treatment. As for you, you'll get treatment all the same, you just didn't pay the "sin-tax" that the smoker, dipper, drinker, whatever paid.

I've also heard the arguement that there's just too many people in America. France, England, Canada, etc, they have a smaller population to care for so it's feasible. America has too large a population to be able to do it. Ummm... hey, Mr. Capitalist, isn't THAT your very arguement of why Wal-Mart can afford to "do it cheaper?" There's MORE people to drive the COST DOWN?!?! So, explain to me again why MORE people in America can NOT get affordable healthcare? Oh yeah, we're paying to treat and educate all those millions of illegals who are NOT paying into the system that helps them.

But wait, not only are we paying into our OWN system, remember, we have Canadians coming here to be treated. And the Canucks are actual PAYING customers.

We hear that people in England pay something close to $5 a gallon for gas and we shudder. Yeah, that's high. But it helps pay for UHC. They don't pay $600 a month in insurance costs. So with that in mind, say you buy 120 gallons of gas a month @ $5 a gallon. That's $600 a month in gas. Ummm... ok, that sounds pretty crappy. I spend about $80 a month (I don't drive much.) Nevermind. (plus, I dunno the state of their economy. $5 may not be much to them. After all, they still have traffic probs and a well used mass transit system.)

(THEY buy the gas! YOU buy the ride!)

Seriously, there are ways it can be done. We're gonna end up with high gas prices anyway. The more hybrid cars produced the higher gas is gonna go. But, on topic, you may say, "Well, I have Medicade/care, so I'm good." Yay for you. But ya know what, if I get sick, I have to tough it out because I can't afford incurance. At my job (considered hi-risk,) Iwould pay at least $500 a month! (for ME.. NOT family plan!) That's more than my friggin rent! So, I can NOT go to the doc unless it's an emergency. Even still, I don't go. Thank God so far it's worked out well for me. But hey, I aint gettin any younger either.

So, I say we go with UHC. We also allow people to bypass (Buy-Pass) if they elect to pay for earlier procedures and the money used goes into the pot to pay into the UHC system for everyone's good. Also, the monies appropriated to Medicare/cade goes into it as well, so we still have that cash. Maybe we could... oh.. I dunno... quit spending money on countries that hate us to help pay for it. That's just a thought.

(I've heard rumor that some of these countries {where $Billions are spent} don't care much for us.)

Today in History: July 9, 1755.... In the war we know as "The French and Indian War," British and Colonial troops suffer an amazing defeat at the hands of French troops and... well... American Indians (naturally the French can't win on their own.) British General Edward Braddock dies while Colonel George Washington survives to go on to bigger and better things.