It is my opinion that there is nothing wrong with the health care in this country. There is, just nothing wrong with the health care, at all; if one is able to afford to get the health care one might need.
Yes, the trouble is not the “care”, the trouble is the cost of the care. The trouble is we have been convinced that we might actually suffer from a Tylenol deficiency. The trouble is we have been convinced that no matter how small the trouble is, the only solution is a medication, a drug if you will allow me.
The medications that modern science has developed, in and by themselves, are wonderful. But, to believe that it is OK to eat an entire pizza, cheese sticks, ranch dressing, a diet drink, is not dangerous if one just takes the right post-binge medication is childish. But, that is exactly what is suggested, is stated, in advertising. And, it is not the fault of the advertisers, or the media.
The reason for the media is to make money for the owners of each medium. The critics are wrong, the reason for media is not to baby sit every person who sits in front of a TV, or reads a magazine, or (Heaven forbid!) actually reads a newspaper.
What is the alternative? Think about your health instead of relying on others to care for you. If you are sedentary, if you are fat, you are putting yourself at risk. If you are fat and think you are not at risk, go ahead keep eating, keep getting fatter, and your list of medical problems will grow till you figure out what you have been told since you got fat. It is not health, and no amount of “loving high calorie foods” will make it healthy.
Cut down on your caloric intake, move till you break a sweat, and you will probably lose a bit of weight, you’ll feel better, and you’ll be controlling your own health.
Now, to the cost of health care, in America. Stupid is not a nice word, but it fits. We stupidly allowed the collective representatives (senators, and all the rest) to allow the AMA to become a policy making arm of the government.
And, it is not a surprise that in too many instances a doctor will not even talk to a person for less than $75.00-$100.00. And, the cost of any procedure is driven into the stratosphere by the additional people that are involved in reading charts, diagnosing diagnoses, reading x-rays that have been read, et al.
Insurance companies charge stupidly high rates, and use any/every trick in the book (and, they have a big book) to deny coverage, and collect robbery rates from the doctors to cover the doctors inadequacies, called “mistakes”.
The solutions to the high rates are not simple, they are complex, and they involve the one thing that makes it hardest to sell to the American voter: It involves sacrificing. The Canadians sacrifice, and they have reasonably priced health care. The residents of Quebec sacrifice, and they have basically no cost for the services, not free, health care.
A car tag costs a great deal more than one does in the United States. Cigarettes are outrageously high, and just as unhealthy as they are in America. A by-pass surgery is basically free. Is it worth it? You bet.
Now, I am going to get personal. In August, 2009, I went to Quebec for a stress test, an echo cardiogram, and an EKG. It was suggested by my doctor, here in Missouri, that I go to Springfield, Missouri for the procedures, at a cost of $19,000 for the stress test, and the echo cardiogram.
I was, due to a sympathetic doctor, basically treated as if I were a resident of Quebec. I paid a bit more than what a resident of Quebec would have paid, and was proud, and grateful, to pay the money.
I am not exaggerating, I paid $153.00 for the three tests, the consultation with the doctor, and $5.00 for parking. I had all three tests done, the consultation, and was back in a friends house in 1 hour 32 minutes, exactly! I bring this out due to the silly stories of people waiting for endless hours just to see a doctor, in Canada.
Health care is not free any where in the world. However, in some places, people are willing to pay more for other things, and have affordable health care.
Our problem is we believe, as a society, that the cake can be cut into 16 pieces, and still have enough left to serve more cake at the next meal, and there will be a bit left over for a midnight snack.
In reality, we have decided that we’d rather pay insurance rates from Hell, and put up with the abuse, than to fight for decent rates, reasonable coverage, and quality care, as a package.
I am not a Republican, I cannot even spell Demacrit (or, crat, or whatever it is) but, I hope the Dems will get the changes made that must be made to make way for the eventual changes that would be made, if we are to have affordable health care in America. The changes must get started, and now is a good time.
This is not an issue that is unfix able, unless it is treated as a football. If we allow the politicians to kick it around enough, the air will go out of it, and we will have the same, maybe worse, situation that we have today.
Tags: health care, politics
