One Thing the Average American Wants to Know About Health Reform

Will I have to pay? Will I be paying more - or less? How much paper work will I need to complete prior to signing up? Where will I get help for this? Will my health care be better than it is right now? Will I be eligible even if I am very sick? Will my health care be worse than it is right now? When will it actually begin to have an effect upon me?

I don't need or have insurance right now - what about me?

What about the elderly? How will it impact hospitalization and therapy needs? What about just going to your doctor for either a minor or very major problem - will I be seen in a timely manner?

Then there are concerns about long term care, home health care and what about the homeless?

All of these questions come from "the average American." First of all, let's list that person.

Is he or she:

1. A married couple with two kids. The parents are 35 and both have good jobs. Everyone is healthy. The grandparents live nearby so any health care needs and trips for health care can be handled. Health care is now provided by their employers. They are completely satisfied with the way things are now.

2. A married couple with eight kids. This is an integrated family. Both parents work two part-time jobs. They have no health care insurance.

3. A married couple who each had good jobs a year ago. Both lost their jobs because of company closings. They were unable to get Cobra and cannot afford health care insurance.

4. Single parents with two young children. Health care coverage is available from their employer, but they must pay for it. They cannot afford the insurance and pay the rest of their bills.

- or scenario number two: No health care is available for them through their employer.

5. A person of any age who had a great job, but suddenly found out that he/she has been diagnosed with a chronic or deadly disease. This person soon will be unable to work and will have no health care.

- or scenario number two: This person will need very expensive procedures and medicines to keep them alive.

6. A elderly person living on social security and government health care and is doing all right.

7. An person in a vegetative state who could live on as long as his heart beats.

8. A homeless person who doesn't worry about his health, health care or insurance.

9. A person who is very overweight, smokes, drinks and lives a general unhealthy life but has great health insurance from his workplace. He feels he'll die from something - so he may as well enjoy life.

- or scenario number two: A person who has been diagnosed with many problems because of his unhealthy lifestyle.

10. Other - these are the countless numbers of Americans who fit in none of those above.

Everyone of these types of people knows what they want and need. They all feel "they" are the average American.

Each person has opinions on how "the other guy" should be treated.

Some people have already faced dead ends with the health care system now in place. Other's have always been fortunate to have great health care services for their needs.

What about research and the high cost of medicine? Who, if anyone, ends up with the money in their pocket?

Each entity including doctors, hospitals, care centers, home care associations, long term care, health care insurers, companies doing research and making medicines and medical equipment, walk-in care clinics and many others work hard to tell us they need more money. We all know people who's lives have been ruined because they were unable to get - or to pay for - health care insurance.

We also know many people who have had very few health care issues and have no idea what their current health care plans cover.

Do you know?

Does yours cover 1 million dollars - more or less? Do you have any idea how quickly 1 million dollars worth of coverage can be burned through if you're involved in a serious situation? Do you have any idea the time it takes to appeal to an insurance company for even a procedure to be covered that could save your loved one's life? And, how often you would be denied that service?

The average American has no quick answer. Until we need services or have undergone health care issues ourselves or with our loved ones, we have no idea what is actually happening.

Understanding so many very important issues is almost impossible. That is why the average American probably believes that health care changes must be made, but is simply afraid of the impact any changes will have on each of us. So many issues are created because of domino and mushrooming problems and effects. We don't trust our leaders to know the whole story.