Hot Under the Collar: Healthcare Problems in the US

Stop me if I'm wrong here, but all this talk about health care really gets me hot under the collar. OK, so what does it come down to here? Did you know that the United States spends more on health care than any other country in the world? Per capita we spend over $6000 per person each year according to the World Health Organization. But regardless of all that money we are the only industrialized nation in the world that does not have some sort of universal health care system. How the heck do we spend so much money on health care and be the only industrialized nation in the world without universal health care?

In 2000, the World Health Organization rated the US 37^th in overall performance on our health care system. I know I have asked this question before but how the heck do we spend so much money and rate so poorly. It seems to be an American theme doesn't it, we spend so much on education and no results, we spend so much on health care, and no results. When will we start to see that we just can't throw money at a problem and expect it to get better? We need to manage the money and make sure it is being used in an effective manner.

Yes, I know that the US has the best responsiveness of any health care in the world. If you need it, and have the insurance and the money, you can get to the doctor quickly. But what good is that if the care is under the standards of the rest of the world and it cost an insane amount of money to get? I know responsiveness it one of the biggest arguments for NOT having universal health care in this county. But you know what, you are not going to die, if you are in an emergency situation you will get the care you need. You may have to wait longer to see the specialist you need or something of that nature but wouldn't it be great if that treatment were free. Not only free, but the care would be better; if we had a universal system that was uniformly monitored we would get better, more consistent care.

According to the US Census in 2006 almost 16% of Americans had no health coverage. 16%, are you fricken kidding me? Now I have health care, and many of you out there probably do to. But 16% is not acceptable people, the US is the richest nation in the world, how can we sit by and let 16% of our fellow Americans not have health care. Now don't say that these people need to go get off there lazy butts, get a job, and get some health care. You know who these 16% are, most of them are not the unemployed, the government helps the unemployed with health care. These 16% are regular, working people who may work two or three jobs and just cannot afford the insane price of health care. These are the people who need it the most.

But that sad fact is that our kids are the ones suffering here. The US ranks 28^th in the world in infant mortality. Are you fricken kidding me, 28^th? Again, how do we spend so much money and are 28^th in infant mortality. According to the World Health Organization in 2005 the US had an infant mortality rate of 7 out of 1000 births, that is absolutely horrible. People we can do better.

I am sure all of you know someone, or at least have read the horror stories of people who thought they had insurance coverage but were denied by their provider for some stupid reason just to save some money. I won't get into all the details here but what it comes down to is that if you need surgery, or an expensive medicine, or a specialist, you should be able to have the care you need. It shouldn't matter if you have a "preexisting condition" or missed a payment, or didn't read the fine print. Think about it logically, should we have a for-profit company in charge of our health. Life and death in the hands of people who are out to make money. That is not right, if my life is on the line I don't want someone asking, are we going to make money, or loss money here.

I would also like to address our health providers out there who are probably getting ticked off at me right how. Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for the great work you do everyday and the long hour you work. I am not saying in any way that you are not good at your jobs and that you do not care. But I am sure that all of you at one time or another have been frustrated by the lack of help, medicines, equipment, or services out there. I am sure all of you have ran into someone who needed care but could not afford it, or whose insurance did not cover it. My point is to try and help you do your jobs the best way you know how.

Now I know that the idea of universal health care is scary, I get it. Yes, it would probably mean more taxes and right now most of us are feeling the financial pinch but look at the big picture. Sure we may need more taxes to pay for it but think off the money we will have in huge monthly payments or all that money coming out of every paycheck. The amount you pay in taxes will be no where near what you are paying right now in health care payments. So email you congressman, get the word out, we need universal health care, and make sure our next president takes that need to office with him or her. Think about it, do some research, be educated.