It's Time For Health Care Instead of Health Talk

It's a funny country we live in sometimes. I talk to a lot of people about a lot of subjects and believe me, health care almost always comes up. People hate our current system. I think I know two people who are happy with it and neither of them have ever had major health problems. Maybe that's the key. Stay healthy and avoid this mess.
I wish it were that easy. I wish people didn't get sick. I wish people could afford to take care of themselves and their loved ones. How about basic living? I know a ton of people who will insure their children, but not themselves because they can't afford it. This is becoming more and more common.
It shouldn't be this way. Our health should not be determined by Corporate America. When they feel like making more money, they up the premiums and we pay more. When a person becomes too expensive for them to pay for necessary health items, they drop them from their policy. They don't care about health care. They care about making money.
I've been talking a lot about President Obama's health care reform package (the one he wrote, not the one plastered all over the Internet that has been beaten up and stretched.) I have to tell you I like it. Why do I like it? It makes sense.
I was waiting for and received the rhetoric machine bill of denial soon after he announced his intentions. Almost immediately critics were on the airwaves talking this thing down. Big surprise, right? Not really. I remember one pundit saying this bill was going to raise taxes and not cover anybody under the plan. You know what? He didn't read it. He said he did, but he didn't.
It doesn't talk about raising taxes on average, working Americans. It talks about covering working Americans who can't afford coverage. It talks about making sure insurance companies can't drop a client just because they become sick. It talks about making sure there is a checks and balance system in place for companies in the health care industries who have been making billions (not millions) of dollars off the backs of working America.
Now here's what I find funny. Everybody hates the current health care system, but they also hate the current proposed change? Why? Various reasons. Most of them say they don't like socialism. What the hell does socialism have to do with anything? If you set forth a policy that helps people in your country that's socialism? Since when?
Others say they can't afford the tax hike. What tax hike? If Obama has his way the only people getting taxed are people who make over a million dollars a year. Maybe I shouldn't be so crass, but I'm not going to lose sleep over those people having to pay more in taxes. They've tried their best for years setting up laws to avoid paying them altogether and pointing fingers at needy, poor people for our country's ills.
And others say they don't want inadequate care. Ok, so stick with your current insurance plan and don't worry about it. I think people are honestly starting to believe the rhetoric machine. They feel they are going to have to pay a large amount every paycheck for socialized medicine and be forced to accept that program as their own. It's not even close to what is being proposed by Obama. In fact, he says you even (gasp) have a CHOICE of accepting the government-run program or keeping your own. A CHOICE!!!
Look, I realize the health care program in Great Britian isn't perfect, but Canada adopted a better program and it works better. All Obama is trying to do is adopt one of his own and evolve it from the Canadian ideal. Hence, it's evolving, not stagnating.
Let me speak to the money issue for a second. Can you afford health care now? Do you go to the doctor and never pay a co-pay? No, we pay for insurance out of our checks, then pay a co-pay, then pay whatever bill we receive that the insurance company doesn't want to pay. You're right, this is a much better system. I'll take this over the Canadian ideal anyday where you don't pay for hospitalization because it is government-run health care. I'd rather not know how much I'm going to end up paying and not be able to budget appropriately. It's a much better plan.
I am one of millions of Americans without health insurance. I can't afford it. My children are covered, but I am not. I have never been able to afford it. I am a healthy human being who gets sick about once a year when the flu comes around, yet I can't find coverage adequate or affordbale enough. This is America, right?
There are thousands of people EVERY DAY who lose their health care coverage for whatever reason. Over 400 people die EVERY DAY who couldn't afford health care for themselves. You're right, this is a much better system. Who needs these people anyway?
I still believe in my government. I still believe in helping people. I still believe a government can reach out and help when the current system of Corporate America has failed. We are at this point NOW! If Corporate America wins this round of the health care debate, we will not see an end to their current ways. They will continue to funnel money to the rhetoric machine and buy off every politician they can to keep their cash cow alive. They did it with Hillary and they will do it again if given the chance.
This is it, people. You can either stand up and say enough is enough to the health care industry or you can keep on living with their policies and rolling the dice. Which do you prefer?