When It Comes To Health Care Reform, Everything Is Personal

Most of the day today, I have been feeling the wicked crackle of a cold as it creeped its way into my head and down my now-achy-scratchy throat.

Unexpected visitor that it is, I certainly hope its willful intrusion into my life is short and uneventful. Otherwise, I will just have to get testy with it. And that rarely goes well.

Let’s face it: Colds like mine are annoying. Most, however, come and go in fairly short order without the outside intervention of anyone better trained in the mysteries of taking care of me . . than ME.

This time of year, however, a great many other health-type issues rear their heads in demand of our attention.

Most often, we ignore them. And they pass on by with little more than a grumble.

That’s what is happening right now in Washington with the Health Care Reform efforts.

The thing is: The current health care dilemma isn’t something we can treat like a cold, and ignore until it goes away. This is big stuff. This matters.

This big stuff affects all of us – or it will the next time we need medical help.

And because it touches us all, I’m going to tell you what I think (bless you) . . in the hope my thoughts will inspire you to think more deeply about it yourself (if you haven’t already).

Health Care Reform 2009

Health care reform is all the news of late. Nothing unexpected there, I guess, though I truly wish something – anything – unexpected and to the betterment of we the people would come from it.

But alas, all the good reform-type ideas seem once again to be turning to mush under the weight of industry and big donor heavies (You know, the ones with the big bucks and the big votes).

I have to wonder why I dared to imagine it might be different this time around. I have to wonder why I ever suspected we the people might end up the winners this time.

Then again:

Our once-new president (i.e., Mr. Obama), in whom so much hope was placed, is no longer new. He’s apparently been around Washington long enough to forget that we’re the ones who give him reason to get up in the morning. We’re the ones who matter.

And apparently the lobbies that ran the “old world” simply changed their clothes and came back in new and better administration-friendly packaging. But under those nifty new knickers – if you dared to look – they were still carrying the same old placards with the same old messages. And from what I can tell, “REFORM” isn’t one of the words they’re pushing. Neither are, “It’s the PEOPLE WHO MATTER”. (Go figure)

And the members of congress who once again sold their souls to the highest bidders, are right back with the old block and tackle scare strategies they honed to fine . . delicate . . points the last time anyone tried to improve upon our particular model of health care.

And the result of all of the above is that we have a major health care dilemma on our hands. You name your favorite brand: Insurance costs and coverage . . pre-existing conditions . . reimbursement . . overall costs of care . . accessibility to care . . quality of care . . abortion . . end of life care . . caps . . the list goes on for miles. Everyone with any degree of clout has their favorite focal point.

And the health care reform that is simply more of the same non-heath . . non-caring . . non-reform . . appears to be in line to remain our standard “care”.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve never personally suffered within our system of care. I have no personal bones to pick. I’ve actually been treated very well by everyone ever charged with caring for me . . and I should know. I’m the patient from hell.

Then again, in our current health care system, my pre-existing conditions seriously limit my access to insurance coverage – at a rate I could afford. And before moving from Pennsylvania to Ohio, I was denied coverage. And, I’ve often wondered just how little it would take for health care to be my financial undoing. (Guess I do have some semi-bones to pick . . or at least to consider.)

About that legislation:

Actually, some wonderful ideas were attached to this year’s reform legislation.

Why, if the original Senate bill passed:

I could probably move anywhere I like in this great country, without fearing the loss of insurance coverage (Pre-existing conditions, you know).

And, I should I become deathly – or more chronically-ill, I wouldn’t have to worry about medical charges crossing the $1M line, and being cut off from reimbursable care.

And there was more – at least for a while.

It’s all under attack now, though. (The evil forces have a way of storming the ramparts the good guys never learned.) It’s hard to tell how the reforms will play out – or if they’ll play out at all – in the long run.

And that’s truly unfortunate. We the people are in serious need of help when it comes to our health care system.

It’s Time We Settled Health Care

Anyway, my general thought on the state of health care reform in this country is that it’s well past time it stopped being viewed as a war zone.

Any soldier can tell you that you never go off and fight the whole war. You win (however you define that word) by taking on the individual battles – the issues – one by one. You resolve one. Then you move to the next. And the next. And so on, till the victory is accomplished – or a truce is reached.

Health care reform is no different. By going after and voting on the whole package, the entire package dies . . or nearly dies.

In any case, reform dies.

Cost lives on, however. Costs even grow in the process. And it shall ever be thus, I guess.

The way the 2009 health care reform legislation was written, it cannot possibly be passed. It’s too big and cumbersome (nearly 2,100 pages in the original Senate version alone, with more than 700 pages of amendments as I write this!).

I can’t believe it was written to be understood – at least not by normal people!

The very fact of this reform being a “package”, means it was written to address every issue and every contingency.

And there, my friend, is the rub in this particular instance: These bills are big enough for each to contain something for everyone who’s voting on them to hate.

Since everyone is bound to hate something, some are more likely to go for the jugular on the thing they hate and vote to kill the entire package since they’ve truly no other option.

One by One by One by One

Many of these problems could be resolved if the individual issues – each and every one – were pulled out to be analyzed, debated, and voted on individually.

Yes, that would take time . . though maybe it would also result in our congressmen and women learning to write more succinctly and keeping those with too much to gain – hey there lobbyists – out of the process. (It’s worth dreaming about anyway.)

To my way of thinking:

* There’s no reason to kill every good to be had in reform just because this number is opposed to abortion, or

* That number is opposed to including everyone in an access to “the public option”, or

* Those 10 don’t trust the quality of pharmaceuticals coming out of other countries at a third the cost of our own, or

* These 7 worry that Medicare will bankrupt the system, and so don’t like any possibility being offered.

If we’re honest with ourselves: Who truly stands to benefit by not reforming our health care dilemmas? Not You or I, certainly.

Oh, excuse me: Who but those who benefit from our health care dilemmas truly stand to benefit by not reforming our health care dilemmas?

I am just one person. But, I AM ONE PERSON! That makes it personal.

When it comes right down to it, I have to admit that I feel very small in the midst of all this life for a life balancing stuff. I honestly don’t know that those in power care in the least about my or your concerns. And that really ticks me off!

I can accept that I’ve no control over the financial end of health care reform. I don’t believe any of us does. The powers that be will trade plug nickels for sawdust on the half dollar, without the slightest for your or my interest. It’s all about money and politics.

But I can control myself and my decisions.

When it comes to health care, and health care reform, everything is personal. The older I get – and I intend to get very old – the more personal it becomes. (Check any of our nation’s hospitals or nursing homes long term care facilities, if you don’t believe me.)

And I fully intend to make sure everyone who knows me knows where I stand, so there can be no mistakes.

This is just one step.

Join me, won’t you? Tell your “Powers That Be” how much the reform of our health care system matters to you – because your health care is personal.

Then tell everyone you know to do the same thing.

It IS personal, you know . . very.

Keep growing my friend,

Gail

Tagged as: 2009 Health Care Reform, abortion, health, health care, hospitals, legislation, nursing homes, public option