I figured it was time that I took a stance on the big heath care reform issue. Yes I voted for Obama. I am a Democrat, and he was the lesser of the two evils running. I was not overly thrilled with him, but I prefer him over McCain. I do like Obama. I think we need someone young with a fresh outlook running our country and trying to get it back on track. He has not been in office a year yet and people are disappointed in him. Rome was not built in a day my friends. These things take time.
Obama's Speech
Follow that link for the full speech he gave to Congress on the 9th.
Much of what he said I agree with. The problem is making it happen. He has many great ideas, ideas that could possibly turn our country around. But with the government’s system of checks and balances, it will be a hard road to get those policies into law.
I’m a middle class citizen who receives my health care through my employer. I pay $110 a month and have decent coverage. My co-pays are high, but not as high as some. I also pay for the higher/better insurance that my office offers. I pay as much as $50 per drug per month. On average my co-pays are about $300-400 a month. That’s a car payment, on top of my car insurance, rent, jeep payment, cell phone, gas, food and student loans. I work my ASS off so that I do not have to rely on the system, yet I can’t afford the insurance that I have. And come December, everything will go up again. It’s out of control. It’s also at a point where it might be cheaper to not work and go on welfare. When a person who WANTS to work, is forced to not work because it is “easier” to be jobless so they can afford their medicines, you know there is a problem.
THAT is what I want to see addressed in the health care reform. I want to see middle class, hardworking citizens be able to pay for health care AND be able to pay for the medications they need to take. I have no issues paying for my own coverage, I have no issues paying co-pays, but when I can get the EXACT same drug at a pharmacy without insurance and pay only $4, but pay $30 with insurance, then I want something to change. Don’t believe me? Target has my Bactrim DS tabs on the generic list for $4, if you have no insurance. I pay $30 at Rite Aid with my insurance co-pay for generic Bactrim DS. They are IDENTICAL. So why can Target do this, yet the insurance company is making me pay 6 times as much?
Another example…I need oxygen when I work out. I am lucky enough to have a treadmill at home so I can use my concentrator when I exercise. I called my insurance company a couple of weeks ago to find out how I could get a portable concentrator so that I could travel and also run outside while using it. They told me that I would have to pay half of the cost if I could find a DME (durable medical equipment) retailer that would do a lease to own option. My price…$2500 give or take. I would have to pay that much out of pocket! Where am I to get this money?
I agree with Obama’s plan. It has what I feel would help the country and if it can lower costs and ensure that everyone will have coverage than good. That’s what we need.
I know many people are hell bent against the plan and everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But step in my shoes, or the shoes of someone with a terminal illness and tell me how it feels to HAVE to work to get coverage because you are not able to get insurance on your own. Or if you do, the insurance company doesn’t have to cover the pre-existing condition.
For those of you who are against the reform. WHY? Because you don’t’ won’t to loose your current coverage? You won’t. Because you don’t want to pay for other people’s insurance? You do that NOW! We are already paying ridiculous costs for Medicare and Medicaid because the price of healthcare climbs each year. Under this plan, costs will be capped and the system will be treated much more like a business and not a monopoly. Right now, prices can be set basically anywhere since there is no where else we can go to get health coverage. This will change. The government will offer a lower cost health plan that will allow people to be able to purchase their own, if they can. And it will build competition to the big name companies now, driving prices down. How is that a bad thing?
Another issue I know many people are not happy with when it comes to the reform is requiring everyone to have some type of coverage. Yes this may seem harsh and what not but think about it. When an individual goes to the ER, who does not have health coverage, and gets treated, who do you think pays for them? We do. Through taxes. If everyone is required by law to have coverage then this will bring the costs to us down. There will always be those who slip through the cracks, the country is too large for that, but if the majority of people get coverage then we can essentially stop paying for them. It will be like auto insurance. You are required to have coverage if you own a car. Many don’t and we pay for them through higher premiums. If you get caught driving without insurance you pay fines etc. I don’t see anything wrong with that. Same goes when applied to health care.
Everyone SHOULD have insurance. You never know when something bad will happen. You can wake up tomorrow with a rain tumor and if you don’t have insurance then how are you getting treated? Don’t you want options? Don’t you want to be able to chose who you see and where you get treated?
If Obama’s plan is passed and goes the way it should (or even with some modifications) our country will be much better. We are one of the richest countries in the world yet millions and millions of us can not afford health care. A basic right. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness. LIFE people, LIFE. Without healthcare I can’t have life, I’ll be dead. Whether or not you agree with me, or the reform bill, you have to agree that something needs to be done about it.
