I want to tell a story about a little girl who had the misfortune of being born into a family who lacked the parenting skills necessary to raise her well. Despite poverty, neglect and the lack of a loving, supportive family, this child was the first in her family to graduate high school and attend college.
I believe one of the reasons she was able to succeed was because she was enrolled in her local Big Brothers Big Sisters program and was selected by not one, but two loving, adult mentors. Her first Big Sister moved far away when K. was around 10 and she was then matched to a family, a family that continues to this day to provide love, support and encouragement. This family is my sister's and K. has become a part of our extended family. She has attended holiday celebrations, family events and mourned with us over the loss of my nephew, whom she considered a brother.
When K. was in elementary school she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Her little body had already been badly battered by this terrible disease. Due to a lack of insurance and proper medical care, K.'s pediatrician believes she has lost 15-20 years of her life. A loss that was not necessary had she had proper medical treatment. The details of this atrocity are many and I will spare you them but understand it is due to a health care system that is broken and unjust.
Wednesday night I sat with my husband to hear what our President had to say about Health Care reform in America. I support President Obama's Health Care plan. It makes sense to me. It seems rational. To tell the truth, I'm not sure it goes far enough. However, I do understand the need for compromise. At this point any steps forward would be better than the situation our country is in today.
I was appalled at the behavior by some of the conservatives in attendance. I believe that wherever your opinions lie, it is fundamentally important to respect the office of President of the United States. But, even more important at this time and place in our American history is Health Care reform. I don't think anyone denies it is imperative we fix this broken system. Not only for children like K. but for the millions of working Americans who have been savaged by our current health care system.
There is an undercurrent of hatred in America that is truly frightening me. A contingent of Americans determined to undermine our current administration whenever possible. There is no question our Health Care system is broken. No question that reform is imperative. No question Americans hurt and die every day due to insufficient health coverage. The issues lie with how this can be accomplished. President Obama is really taking a very middle road. He is not proposing National Health Care as some of the extreme left would prefer, nor is he giving into the pressures of the huge insurance conglomerates and the extreme right. I agree with Senator Kennedy that this is a moral issue, an issue of character and one we can no longer put off.
The United States of America is the only wealthy nation on earth who allows such hardship for millions of people. One in three Americans goes without insurance at some point in their life. Craig and I have been very fortunate that he has always worked for large corporations who provided insurance coverage options. Our children grew up having no idea that this was such a privilege. We lived in a kind of bubble of unawareness, passing through the years with prescription cards, free well child visits, minimal co-pays and the ability to undergo any health related tests deemed important by our primary physician.
It wasn't until our children graduated from college and their insurance was cut off that we became aware of how many in America live. And it scared us. It was imperative that they find jobs with benefits. For our eldest, Paige, this hit home when a month after graduation, she came down with a serious virus and had to go to the doctor. Several hundred dollars later she learned how important insurance coverage is and the hard fact that in America, unless you are rich, you can't afford medical care without it. Craig and I obtained catastrophic coverage for both girls during this interim and were fortunate that they both landed jobs with insurance benefits shortly after graduation.
After three semesters of college, our youngest decided college wasn't for him at this time. We explained to him the importance of insurance coverage, that if he drops out of school, he gets dropped from our insurance plan. We explained that if he requires a hospital stay it could prove to be devastating financially. Guess what? Young, healthy men don't really want to use their hard earned small incomes on something that isn't tangible.
Eventually, Craig and I decided we couldn't risk his being uninsured and we are currently paying his premiums. With my job loss, a wedding under the belt and bills to pay, it's a stretch for us but we just can not allow him to go uninsured. Like most parents, I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO SAVE MY CHILD'S LIFE. If my child was uninsured and needing expensive medical care and denied it, I'd be that parent out selling raffle tickets and conducting bake sales to provide quality health care for my loved one. I'd be that parent begging everyone I know for help. A bizarre scenario in a country as wealthy as our own.
It goes without saying that many of our nation's poor slip through the cracks. Medicaid fills some of their needs but typically we see them in emergency rooms. We all pay for the costs of these visits. An affordable public option would cut costs for all of us. I come from a family that believes in helping those less fortunate. Insuring the poor of our nation is a moral obligation.
What I am selfishly more concerned with is my world of middle America. It's the hardship stories of working Americans that scares me most. People who've worked all their lives and through no fault of their own are stricken with a prolonged illness that reaches an annual cap, leaving them bankrupt and financially devastated. I'm talking about those working Americans who lose their job or choose to change jobs and suddenly find themselves denied insurance due to a pre-existing condition. My 24-year-old working niece is unable to obtain insurance due to a pre-existing condition. Her parents have tried all avenues to get her covered. One serious car accident or diagnosis and all they've worked for could be lost.
The current American Health Care system spends 1.5 times more per person than any other country, but we are no healthier. This is a fact. Scare tactics that are being spread around our nation are a result of bi-partisan politics. They are the result of insurance companies pressures on their elected officials. They are the result of hatred for a new and different President. They are the result of ignorance and denial and immorality. They are so ridiculous, they don't bear repeating or defending. Any intelligent human being on this earth should recognize subversion when they see it.
Now here is the truth about the bill President Obama proposes:
-If you have insurance coverage, you will not have to change your coverage or your doctor.
-Insurance companies will not be allowed to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions.
-Insurance companies will not be able to deny coverage with annual or lifetime "caps".
-This bill will limit out of pocket expenses. (No one should go broke because you get sick.)
-Insurance companies will be required to cover wellness tests like: mammograms and colonoscopies.
Congress needs to set aside their differences and join together to create a bill that will effectively change our Health Care System. President Obama's goals are simple: provide security and stability for those who have insurance (no sudden bogus dropping you from your plan), provide insurance for those who don't have it (perhaps a public option) and a slow growth of insurance costs (which are skyrocketing).
My limited understanding of the Republicans obtuseness, their outrage, their unwillingness to move forward and compromise is that they want to see clearer guidelines for medical mal-practice included in the bill and they are concerned the proposal will cost too much. So compromise. Figure it out. It's been done before. Look at our history: folks balked at medicare and social security, yet I don't know a single senior American who isn't grateful for those government programs now. Programs for which I hope are still in existence when I reach 65.
Much of the change won't occur for four years but if this bill is passed, it will immediately provide coverage to those who don't have it. Think of the people you know, the friends, acquaintances and loved ones who are suffering due to lack of insurance. Call your congressman and your senator and plead with them to find a way to make this change happen. Past administrations have tried. I pray that this administration will finally accomplish it.
Let your voice be heard. (Loud and Clear)
Do it today.
VSL
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