Thoughts on Obama Healthcare Reform

I have been careful not to voice my political views publically because I'm just not a political person. But on healthcare I have more questions for those that oppose the reform than those that are for it. I know some of my friends oppose wholeheartedly and others agree and others are indifferent. I love you all, views on this topic aside. I just read enough on the web tonight to fire me up enough to decide to finally give my take on the situation. I'm not looking for a fight or name calling - or anything negative- just taking a moment to express an opinion I felt strongly enough about to express.

For instance, I looked at a religious website tonight that was denouncing the healthcare changes. Here was one of the reasons stated:

Socialism - Pish Posh America is more in danger of socialism type behaviors through things like the way cigarettes have been treated than they are from the healthcare plan. Smoking is bad - got that...but so is alchohl so are painkillers so is food so is driving for some people --- when the government can step in and take total control over something that is a step toward socialism.

Before I delve into this further, let me ask you as you read this how many of you have ever found yourselves in unfortunate circumstances where you had no medical insurance? Did you go to your state agency and apply? Unfortunately, for years while some have had the ability to manipulate the system, the common family when dad loses his job can't get state insurance. They own a car or a washing machine (BASICS folks) or they have a home mortgage and the state says no. Or maybe they aren't pregnant or have children young enough to qualify for the insurance. If you aren't in those shoes - you have no idea what a horrible system the healthcare has been for YEARS in this country! And if you say it's those folks fault for not being insured - take a good look at the world around you today. Jobs are being shipped out to foreign shores every single day - people can't help when their company moves to China that they are OUT of WORK and without healthcare! Finding a job is sheer madness - there aren't enough jobs to employ those out of work right now and money isn't flowing at the normal avenues that are always hiring. Even fast food places are cutting hours and laying off these days. More and more companies are utilizing this thing called temporary employee's - usually a decent salary but you receive no benefits 90% of the time with these positions. Desperate people in desperate times can be putting in 40 hour weeks with no benefits for their children at school being exposed to swine flu and who knows what else. So put yourself in some of these folks shoes, just for fun go fill out an application for state/government insurance.....it is seriously foul.

Private insurance companies are charging higher prices every year for those that have to insure through them. They also come up with more restrictions, deductibles, and co pays each year. What good does it do a 54 year old man with an heirdatary heart disease to pay 550.00 a month to a private health insurance that has a stipulation no pre existing conditions can be treated under the plan? When the doctors want to run tests that require hospitilazation and expensive bills on the heart condition? When the medicines for the condition can run 200.00 a month easily? The heart condition and the tests are WHY he needs the insurance in the first place! And then add on to that all the co pays and deductibles and they wind up paying out the wazoo.

There is a youtube video of the Obama plan in four minutes. After watching that, where can you find he is saying that the reform will force you out of your current healthcare? If you enjoy a thousand dollar dedictuble for a simple outpatient surgery, then by all means keep your current carrier. While your at it, look at how many gallons of gas you put in that tank and figure an extra 2.00 on every gallon and tip it to the gas company that was ripping you off at over 4.00 a gallon last year too.

Sure there are some legitmate concerns one of them being about the wait time on medical assistance and the type of care that will be received. But everyday people are using state government funded insurance and are able to access medical when needed quicker and cheaper than those with nothing. The government runs health care through military programs that effectively take care of people while it may not be everyone's ideal care it sure beats nothing at all. Those of us sitting here with a medical insurance card in our pockets or access to a government health program will still have those when this is done - this is addressing those that don't have that.

Research the stories of the terminally ill that are bankrupt after fighting cancer because of the expense with insurance! Research the stories of those that have lost jobs fighting a cancer battle only to have to turn around and give away their home, cars, and more to pay their medical bills. It's not pretty. But just like every tragedy, you don't really care about those people until your in their situation or someone you dearly love is. You go on with the thinking "that will never happen to me" and pat your Blue Cross Shield card.

Change is scary. One never knows which way it will work out in the end. This could be the worst move ever for America or it can be the best. Having not only been affected at a time, but watching those I love be affected by poor healthcare policies - I feel very strongly about this topic. Every big change in a person's life requires adjustments and tweaks to get it perfect, I have no doubt that the healthcare policy will be the same way. But you can't tweak and perfect the new house your building until you begin to see the structure and the problems with your orginal plans.

And since when is change irreversible? If you can't get it right, tear it down and build it again until you do.

I'm by no means an expert on the plan or all the arguments but as a person with family and friends that are hurting and unable to receive help - I see a need for drastic change. I don't see this as "perfect" but I see it as a good step in the right direction. And the loudest criers against it, aren't the people without but the people that know if they start having chest pains tonight they can go to an ER and get help without it costing them their firstborn.

To those with religious opposition this is all I have to say. God never wanted people individually or as a nation to ignore the cries and pain of others. If this were his intention, would his son have spent his time walking the earth healing those in terminal pain situations? The woman with the issue of blood, the blind man, the cripple, the leper...his list goes on and on of his compassion. Did he charge the woman with the issue of blood 2500.00 for a surgery? Did he charge the blind man over and over again? Or the cripple? Or did he give of his service and heal? Though doctors take a creed of helpfulness I have only met one in my lifetime that didn't send you his bill later for saving your life. Though insurance companies help with your expenses I haven't ever gone to the doctor without paying at least a small co pay. Why is that? And is that any more in accordance with God's plan for our nation than the current healthcare reform?

I will close with this final thought, as America is arguing and debating on this subject someone is losing their child to a terminal illness, a parent is having a heart attack with no means to seek aid. What about when it's you and yours? Will you cry for justice then? Will you sob for reform then? Will you wish this health care plan had passed so that your loved one or yourself could have gotten the care they deserved? Why is America the land of the great and opportunity while somewhere, someone is dying and living next door to a hospital? This isn't just politics - this is human lives and well being. This is the matter of life and death for someone - the question is will we as a nation see it in time to give them the hand they need?