H is for Healthcare

     Remember Sicko? Michael Moore? The influential documentary director/producer/writer of Fahrenheit 9/11, and Bowling for Columbine? Some believe his films have served as catalysts to spark the fire under politico's, after they are released to public scrutiny. In the same fashion as Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me against the mega-conglomerate McDonald's, Sicko certainly does a number on the healthcare industry in America, insurance companies in particular. It's now 3 years after the film was released in 2007, and here we are teetering on the brink of change. Once again, maybe Michael Moore was ahead of the game in asking the tough questions. 
     This new "legislation aims to provide health insurance to more Americans by expanding Medicaid, providing tax credits to help low- and middle-income people buy coverage, and creating health insurance exchanges for individuals and small businesses. It also would require employers that don’t offer coverage to help pay for employees’ government-subsidized coverage.... cap annual out-of-pocket expenses and prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions." 
     Hillary and Bill in the 90's obviously tried, but subsequently, their attempts were crushed by the onslaught of rebuttals to the idea of equal healthcare for all American's. Not a surprise considering that Hillary was the face of the attempted reform, and as I recall her contemporaries were downright rude and disrespectful during the congressional hearings. Unfortunately, the Clinton's toil was fore-not, because of what it all come down to in politics : campaign contribution money and backing. 
      It is always money isn't it? 
      How much money did those bureaucrats get in contributions to their political machines after that pharmaceuticals bill for seniors was signed by Bush in 2003? And, how many of them now work for Humana, Blue Cross, or United Health care? Nearly all of the 14 who sponsored it. Hundreds of thousands, a combined over 2 million dollars, in contributions went those 14 benefactors, and W. got over $825 thousand of it towards, well, who knows now.
     Sick is right Mr. Moore. That was just one of many pay outs to congressmen and senators from insurance companies over the years. 
     A question I find my self asking is, if these politicians actually cared about their constituents, wouldn't they make more of an effort to put laws in place that might keep us around longer? Don't they need our votes? They can't get them if we are dead. We can't get to the polling booths laying in a hospital bed sucking oxygen though tubes in our noses, or comatose on life support. Both of which are routes a LOT more costly for the healthcare industry than if people were treated with some primary prevention, for example going to see a Dietitian before conditions worsened.  

     In 2009 it is estimated by the American Cancer Society that nearly 290,000 men and 270,000 women will die from Cancer in the U.S. If this statistic isn't enough to make law makers start listening to the people they are supposed to be fighting for and closing their wallets to insurance companies, I don't know what is. That is just the Cancer death rates, think about all of the other diseases contracted by humans. While these kinds of statistics are overwhelming, special interest groups are spending $1.4 million a day to kill reform according the the New York Times.  
      The question of why politicians remain money hungry is not a mystery. Although, one mystery remains, why do those who have everything, find it difficult to share with those who have nothing?
      We all have had forays into the fear of not having health insurance, especially as young adults in our twenties. My most recent brush was during a trip to Santa Barbara in August. 
      My parents own a little cabin, located in the Los Padres National Forest. Eight of my friends and I ventured up to enjoy a weekend of relaxation, games, wine tasting, and togetherness. It was a good time had by all, well, all except for my boyfriend. He will now don the proud nickname "spider monkey" for the rest of his days. Bitten by what we think was a black widow the first evening of our stay, Joel began to suffer from symptoms about eight hours later: chills, profuse sweating, lack of appetite, dizziness, quiziness, muscle spasms, difficulty breathing, everything and anything was happening inside his body. Ice cold feet, a blazing hot forehead, an internal temperature over 102 and a crazy bright red vein that ran up his leg from the location of the bite to his upper thigh. The bite,  near his ankle became as large as a ping-pong ball, and as hard as a rock. He was a mess. He is also self employed and like many others, lacks health insurance. 
        Pouring sweat in the downstairs room of the cabin, he lay, trying to sleep it off. I dosed him with Benadryl and Advil, which decreased the allergenic effect of the venom and relieved some of his pain. Ultimately, he probably should have seen a doctor. He did, of course, survive the bite, feeling somewhat better 2 days later, but, what if we had needed to race him to the hospital? How much would that bill have been? Knowing that others have paid over $3,500 for one night in the emergency room, I can only imagine what any treatment may have cost him.  Thusly, it was due to his lack of healthcare, that he protested our requests to take him to the hospital. 
       2009 is drawing to a close, and, since we are a nation in need of instant gratification, we are tapping our toes, arms crossed, sitting on the edge of our seats, asking, dear government when will the other shoe to drop. 
      Yesterday one of those shoes did. The health care reform bill "jumped a hurdle" according to all the top news sites. The Senate Finance Committee approved the bill 14 to 9 and shows a "step towards reform" to quote the President,  but as we all know from the many School House Rock Videos it takes a while for a bill on capitol hill to become a law. Here's hoping that the system works. 
      "Now that all five congressional committees have passed reform legislation, we're sure to see attacks that are even more extreme. It's up to us to make sure that ordinary Americans continue to be heard louder than the Washington lobbyists",  Mitch Stewart asks of us as the Director for Organizing for America. 
      Although, this may seem like a somewhat of a one sided argument on my part, I error on the side of my beloved friends and relatives who go without insurance because they cannot afford it. So, in the meantime, here is the link to  Help Pass Real Reform. I'm not a spokesperson, I'm just concerned for others who may get bit by a spider.