The Holidays Are Here - A Lot On My Mind
I really appreciate all who come to visit my blog and I know I have been out of touch for awhile, but there have been a lot of things on my mind which I will share with you.
About two weeks ago, my father-in-law passed on. He had been sick for quite some time, so it is not really a surprise. He was suffering from memory loss, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. He was a mess.
They say it is not nice to speak ill of the dead. Truth be told, he was not exactly a nice person. He had his moments where he would take the shirt off his back to help someone in need. Although he never really showed any affection for his five children, he did love them in his own way.
As I thought about his life at the funeral home, I was actually touched by how many people showed up to say goodbye. He may have had his faults, but he did touch many lives. No one is perfect. Maybe, at long last, he finally has peace. God knows he did not have it in this life.
Then I got outraged at the thought of how his life ended. He had been sick for awhile, but because he was on TennCare he was booted out of health care when the system needed to be overhauled. He went without insurance until his wife could get him on her policy at work which cost an awful lot of her income. His medication alone was costing about $500 a month out of pocket. His condition was getting worse because he was not able to afford to see a doctor.
One of his buddies was at the funeral. He was also a victim of the TennCare eviction. He also has diabetes and is working at poverty level wages just to get by. He cannot afford to see a doctor or get regular medication.
Where is the heart with the people who thumb their noses at the idea of a National Health Care plan? Do they not realize there are over 40 million people in the US who cannot afford to see a doctor? Do they not know that a serious illness could put these people into bankruptcy? Sure you get better choices and selections when you have a private insurance carrier, but not everyone can afford private insurance. This is almost tantamount to saying if you are poor you deserve to die early.
TennCare was an experiment to let the state take over the insurance so Medicaid could be eliminated. There was not enough tax money in the program to support it and too many crooked politicians who abused the system to its downfall. This left way too many people out in the cold who were kicked off TennCare and do not have access to Medicaid. They have NOTHING.
How is it most European countries and Canada are able to run a National programme? Sure, they also have the option of private insurance and have a certain amount of choice, but at least they know when they pay into the system, they will see a doctor and can get treated. For some, they may have a long wait, but at least they know they can see a doctor eventually. Unlike here, some people know they can NEVER see a doctor because they do not have insurance at all.
Many companies try to get around the insurance benefit for employees because it is so expensive which leaves them no other choice but to make the workers part time or off the clock so they will never qualify for the insurance. If we had a National Health Care plan where everyone would qualify, this would free one hassle from employers everywhere.
The problem in this country is everything is always about the money. The drug companies are in the business to make money, not necessarily focused on curing anything unless a profit is to be made. The medical professionals are being scarred out of business by lawyers who see money to be made from the insurance companies who keep hiking their prices to feed the lawsuits while doctors are retiring early or quitting and fewer want to become doctors in the first place.
Greed has ruined the health care industry. Health care is about caring for the people. Sometimes there are things in life that are more important than the money. The greed which has spiraled out of control is killing people and disillusioning gifted professionals from practicing their chosen field. Greed has put bad drugs on the market quickly before finding out the dangers which have killed people, but dragging its feet on drugs which could help people because the lack of profit to be made on them.
Where is our national conscience on this issue?
The Official Site Of Callen Damornen
About two weeks ago, my father-in-law passed on. He had been sick for quite some time, so it is not really a surprise. He was suffering from memory loss, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. He was a mess.
They say it is not nice to speak ill of the dead. Truth be told, he was not exactly a nice person. He had his moments where he would take the shirt off his back to help someone in need. Although he never really showed any affection for his five children, he did love them in his own way.
As I thought about his life at the funeral home, I was actually touched by how many people showed up to say goodbye. He may have had his faults, but he did touch many lives. No one is perfect. Maybe, at long last, he finally has peace. God knows he did not have it in this life.
Then I got outraged at the thought of how his life ended. He had been sick for awhile, but because he was on TennCare he was booted out of health care when the system needed to be overhauled. He went without insurance until his wife could get him on her policy at work which cost an awful lot of her income. His medication alone was costing about $500 a month out of pocket. His condition was getting worse because he was not able to afford to see a doctor.
One of his buddies was at the funeral. He was also a victim of the TennCare eviction. He also has diabetes and is working at poverty level wages just to get by. He cannot afford to see a doctor or get regular medication.
Where is the heart with the people who thumb their noses at the idea of a National Health Care plan? Do they not realize there are over 40 million people in the US who cannot afford to see a doctor? Do they not know that a serious illness could put these people into bankruptcy? Sure you get better choices and selections when you have a private insurance carrier, but not everyone can afford private insurance. This is almost tantamount to saying if you are poor you deserve to die early.
TennCare was an experiment to let the state take over the insurance so Medicaid could be eliminated. There was not enough tax money in the program to support it and too many crooked politicians who abused the system to its downfall. This left way too many people out in the cold who were kicked off TennCare and do not have access to Medicaid. They have NOTHING.
How is it most European countries and Canada are able to run a National programme? Sure, they also have the option of private insurance and have a certain amount of choice, but at least they know when they pay into the system, they will see a doctor and can get treated. For some, they may have a long wait, but at least they know they can see a doctor eventually. Unlike here, some people know they can NEVER see a doctor because they do not have insurance at all.
Many companies try to get around the insurance benefit for employees because it is so expensive which leaves them no other choice but to make the workers part time or off the clock so they will never qualify for the insurance. If we had a National Health Care plan where everyone would qualify, this would free one hassle from employers everywhere.
The problem in this country is everything is always about the money. The drug companies are in the business to make money, not necessarily focused on curing anything unless a profit is to be made. The medical professionals are being scarred out of business by lawyers who see money to be made from the insurance companies who keep hiking their prices to feed the lawsuits while doctors are retiring early or quitting and fewer want to become doctors in the first place.
Greed has ruined the health care industry. Health care is about caring for the people. Sometimes there are things in life that are more important than the money. The greed which has spiraled out of control is killing people and disillusioning gifted professionals from practicing their chosen field. Greed has put bad drugs on the market quickly before finding out the dangers which have killed people, but dragging its feet on drugs which could help people because the lack of profit to be made on them.
Where is our national conscience on this issue?
The Official Site Of Callen Damornen
posted by Callen Damornen at 8:39:00 pm
6 Comments:
Interesting blog, and thanks for leaving a comment on my site. I have to say that there is alot to be said for having some kind of national health service like we have over here. You are right, at least you get to see a doctor, it wont be immediately (unless you present to A&E / ER).
The trouble is that whatever kind of service you have, where people can access free care, then it will be expensive, and people will treat all that you can provide them with as a right. We are also suffering quite a bit from the whole litigious culture and to some extent it is further spoiling a good system.
As the baby boomers age, maybe there will be some sort of uprising in this country. Our current medical system is set up to perpetuate disease, because disease makes a lot of money for a lot of people. Yes, it's all about money, not about humanity. Scary.
Sorry to hear about your loss :( Hope you're doing okay. Take care, Jackie
I agree with you. There has got to be a better way to take care of the ill. We dont have insurance because we cant afford it. I cringe when I think of Medicare and Social Security. While universal health care may not be perfect at least it help without the stigma of welfare. You are also right about the profits in the medical industry.
i'm sorry to hear about your father in law. funny how much easier it is to see the good in someone when they are gone, eh?
healthcare.. .yeah, our country's in the shitter on that one. i'd love to see someone come up with a way to revamp it all. not sure when to expect that tho.
Where is the heart with the people who thumb their noses at the idea of a National Health Care plan? Do they not realize there are over 40 million people in the US who cannot afford to see a doctor? Do they not know that a serious illness could put these people into bankruptcy?
The answer is simple: the people who oppose an national health care plan CAN afford it and don't give a damn about anyone but themselves.
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