It saddens me to read your editorials and so many letters on health-care reform, in which the writers are comfortable in denying access to health care for the less fortunate among us. Even the legislation in Congress will significantly miss that target.
We are a mix of the well-off, the poor and all those in-between. Those of us with good minds, a good education and good jobs usually think we earned and deserve all we have.
Yet the fact is that the most successful adults were born with good brains and into families that provided them with a good education. If anything, the credit should go not to us but to our parents, who of course we did not choose. The majority of us who are well-off are simply lucky.
The word "community" implies that we are all in this together -- the lucky along with the unlucky. Many nations have that, and provide health care for everyone. We seem to have lost that sense of community.
On the public option, many say that our government can't be trusted to run health care. All other wealthy countries have found their governments can do it, and are doing a far better job than our private insurers do, and at far less cost. It obviously is not that difficult.
It may come as a surprise to some that Medicare is run, and run well, by our "inept" government. I think most who are approaching age 65 are pleased about finally getting on Medicare.
Victor Reilly
Aiken, S.C.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The less fortunate can get healthcare! It's the lower to middle income individuals who cannot. I make too much to qualify for medicaid but if my employer did not offer insurance I would be without it. I have some pre-existing conditions that have kept me from being to purchase private insurance in the past. Before this particular job, if I had gotten extremely ill I would have been one of the millions of Americans that would have been bankrupt. It is now time for our yearly open enrollment and our co-pays have gone up $5-$10 more and deductibles have almost doubled. I almost can't afford it even through our group plan!
Alternative care fixes all these problems by reducing cost and use of regular medical care by at least 80%. Much of it is free and can be self taught. There was an admission by one representative during the health care discussion in congress last night that regular medical care is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and other doctors have said it is a high as number 3. Medical care is a high risk business and alternative care is very low risk. Some time you have to take the higher risk but probably 80% of the time you dont need to do that. Advertsing encourages us to get sick and then tells us what drug will cover up the problem so we can continue to do what we did to get sick. Probably a study has not been done but my guess is that people who don't watch TV don't have as much sickness as those who do and there would be several reasons for that.
Victor, very good parroting and some of your LTE is almost true, from a narrow, though misinformed, perspective. No one wants to deny health care, but wish to cut the enabling life style that leads to the uber dependency in conjunction with taxpayer supplied health care. The other governments of the world that provide national, taxpayer provided, health care have an extremely high tax rate and often control most of the economy. That's why, until the stupid redistribution of wealth banking scam our fine politicians forced on us, America's economy led the world by a HUGE margin. The socialized medicine throughout Europe is in financial trouble and the rationing is a nightmare for the elderly and those with major ailments. Lowering our standards to theirs WILL level the playing field. Is that what you're recommending? I once had a very wealthy friend who owned several loan companies. When someone would tell him how lucky he was, he would say, "Yep, the harder I work, the luckier I get". He was 17 when he left the orphanage.
Victor, I'm always amazed when libs like you scream of your rights, as long as the taxpayers are footing the bill. You actually are listing MEDICARE as successfully being run by our government? Here's your sign. Medicare and Social Security, the 2 programs San Fran Nan touted as such great programs, are quickly running out of funds. Our government is trillions in debt and can't even secure it's borders. Yeah, that's some great administration.
Isn't it funny how the programs in other countries are so often and easily run donw by the Repubs? I have to wonder, though, have any oif them actually been to another country and used those health care systems? It's easy to spin something as a bad example when no one else has been there, either, to refute those claims. A lie told often enough is soon taken to be the truth. I saw a letter recently by a Canadian touting the quality of care that he and his family received under their system. OBVIOUSLY this was a lie planted by the left since it didn't agree with the Repub version. BTW, the reasons Social Security and Medicare are short on money is because those funds are constantly being raided by our elected reps (Repubs for the last 8 years, isn't it? and that money diverted to their pet projects.
The government is also running the Postal Service at a 6-7 billion dollars loss a year. I can't see the government running anything that involves my health care.
Victor, do you have the $10,000 to pay for my families "contribution" to this health care plan? Before you accuse me of just repeating "talking points" read the bill for yourself. I would prefer to keep my insurance just as it is.
Luck did not have anything to do with me being successful. It is the work ethic instilled in me by my parents.
orgpsych - My wife is from Europe and her family still lives there. Her mother passed away last year under the limited care that NHS was able to provide, not a malpractice situation, just limitied facilities/technology. I lived in Europe for eight years and have seen/used their style of healthcare myself. I can say with some eyewitness authority that it sucks and is nowhere close to achieving the standards we currently enjoy in the USA.
Medicare is bankrupt!
Grasshopper - It CAN'T be bankrupt! Queen Pelosi's bill stipulates getting $400 billion from Medicare to fund her "new and improved" plan. They wouldn't try and get money from a bankrupt program, they care about America!
Mr. Reilly. I have to take you to task on calling Medicare a successful venture by our government. I will also take you to task for telling folks that they are "Lucky or unlucky" and this determines their financial standing in society. Sorry pal. My family comes from coal towns and dirt poor. My parents made choices and they worked hard and sacrificed to get out of there. Some of their siblings did not, and they are now grouped with your unlucky folks and look to the government for their livelihood. In turn, my wife and I have made choices. We worked hard and made sacrifices and therefore we are much better off than when we started our life together. Everyone has a chance to do something with their lives. Everyone falls on tough times. Some need a hand at times. If they take the help and use it to better themselves, then they can return the favor. Either way, it depends on choice. We make our own luck.
I never heard of anyone chasing the European dream? Well except this socialist administration. A 10 + percent unemployment rate is the norm for most European nations.
Saynomore, the crooked politicians have borrowed against Social Security. SS is bankrupt.
Victor - Conservatives are complaining about getting stuck with huge healthcare cost. Liberals have complained for years about getting stuck with huge defense cost. Folks don't seem to realize the government is going to throw it away anyway. Only difference is where they throw it.
I'm not talking about the "old ways" of crooked politicians, that is so played out. This is CHANGE from the decades of irresponsible spending. This is INNOVATION and NEW ideas! You just aren't paying attention. Change we can BELIEVE in! "We're from the government, and we are here to help you".
If you have a pre-existing condition and don't work for a company that offers healthcare no amount of money will buy you coverage. Those of us who have healthcare are already paying for those who can't or won't buy it through higher premiums. That's simply not right and it needs to be fixed.
I consider myself healthy with a healthy lifestyle for someone in their fifties. My premiums, copays, medicines and out of pocket expenses just went up again for the umpteenth time. I can barely afford health care. I certainly cannot afford to get sick or to get any testing done if need be. The doctors and hospitals are not longer taking the amount the insurance companies pay. They take your copay and then a week later you get another bill for a couple hundred $ in the mail. Something MUST be done to help citizens. The health care companies are stealing from us all, just like wall street execs did. Who regulates what we get charged by the whole medical industry? After all, it is a "for profit" venture and they are surely shoveling in the profits and giving less service for more dollars.
Victor - I live a comfortable life because I worked hard to get a good education, prepared myself for job interviews, landed good jobs, and worked hard at my profession - as did my husband. We put off obtaining the "finer things in life" - you know - the big screen tvs, etc. until we could afford them without going into debt. We bought a house we could afford. This wasn't luck, but pluck. (It you don't know what it means, look it up). No one has ever denied anybody medical care. However, I would rather not pay for medical care for those able bodied people who refuse to get an education, refuse to work, buy (or steal) all the "finer things in life", and then complain because they can't get medical care.
JohnQPublic - Do you have any idea what the average profit margin is for private medical insurance companies? It's much lower than many industries. You are a fool if you believe this bill will save you any money. Even the promoters of the bill admit that the public option will cost much more than a comparable private policy. They intend to "fix" this by offering subsidies to the underserved that select that "option". I'm tired of talking about it with folks that only read the Pelosi talking points and not the specifics. I still don't believe it will ever survive senate debate and get reconciled without major changes in philosophy. Abortion funding was removed last night to get the 4 votes they needed in case you aren't paying attention, and it's very obvious to me that you aren't actually reading what it stipulates.
Roeschen - the vast majority of those who are uninsured did not refuse to get an education, are thieves or aren't working.
BS BS BS BS BS!!!!!! Overflowing BS! I won't even ask for a reference for that "overwhelming majority" statement since it's such an obvious lie. If you are gonna tell a fib, at least make it plausible.
A lot of hatred here for Speaker Pelosi. I'm sure she's laughing at all of you this morning!
Roeschen: "No one has ever denied anybody medical care. However, I would rather not pay for medical care for those able bodied people who refuse to get an education, refuse to work, buy (or steal) all the "finer things in life", and then complain because they can't get medical care." Roeschen, this proves that either your education wasn't a complete success or you are willfully blind. YOU ARE ALREADY PAYING FOR THOSE WITHOUT HEALTHCARE INSURANCE. And no one is denied medical care in this country? Isn't it pretty to think so.
facethe music..pelosi can't laugh..she's had so much skin removed from her fsce she's "frozen in time" A permenent "joker" grimace is about all she can muster
Insurance companies are the most lucritave business in the world. The government just wants a piece of it. And about Pelosi , is it just me or does that woman look like she is on some kind of drugs.
Hey Boop, maybe you can draw a joker poster of Pelosi and then join Michelle Bachmann at a DC tea bag rally. Now there's a group moving up in people popularity.
Butler. If you think that is the truth, start investing in them... Insurance companies have their issues. They do need to be adjusted in the way they do business, but I think you may want to research your last statement and let me know what sources you find to back it up. Please don't reference Alternet or similar source. Check the fiancials.
Hotfoot - Have you ever been denied medical treatment in this country? I have never been denied any medical treatment. Some of what I received was not good care, in fact the worst care I have ever received was in government run facilities on an Indian Reservation, but that is not the point. And yes, I do know that I already pay for those who can not pay - higher costs, etc. so stop the insults. I learned a long time ago that ugly is not nice - you seemed to have missed that point in your education. But like the liberal you are, you resort to name calling when someone has a view different from yours.
What "name" did I call you? I said that you lack some essential understanding of the issues. I believe that you do, truly. I have had medical treatment that my insurer refused to pay for after the fact, but that's the extent of it. However, I've never lacked for health insurance because when my FT job was eliminated in a reorganization two years ago, and I lost my medical coverage, we were able to switch to my husband's plan through his employer. But not everyone is so fortunate. I don't make the mistake of thinking that my good fortune is totally attributable to my hard work and education, as some here do. And what in the world does "I learned a long time ago that ugly is not nice - you seemed to have missed that point in your education" mean? "Isn't it pretty to think so" is a quote from Hemingway and it refers to wilfull naivete.