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Hello, my name is Paul. I'm what I consider to be an average American citizen. I have started this site to give my views on what I believe is right, or as too often the case, what is wrong with this country. Most of this site will be political in nature. Occasionally, I will have something to say about the "idiocracy" of this country and the people in it. I welcome any and all comments and corrections to anything I have to say. Good or bad, I'll publish them all. All to often in this country we don't listen to others with an open mind. I will try to get my facts straight, if I am wrong about something and you wish to "call me out" please cite a point of reference so that I may look it up. I hope that you will find this site informative, thoughtful, passionate and sometimes fun. Thank you again for coming to this site, I hope this provides a great forum to express our thoughts with respect to each other.
HEALTH CARE ~ 3-7-10
Of all the topics I could have picked, I chose one of the hardest. I must have lost my mind! But, I'll give it a shot. Nothing this important should be easy anyway.
We need a government health care plan! I've paid for health insurance my entire life. I have never used it until 2 years ago when I hurt my back at work. My insurance company promptly raised my rate $200.00 a month. Unfortunately, I could not afford another $200.00 a month so I contacted my agent and was told that if I was willing to sign a rider for my back, I would only have to pay an additional $50.00 a month. Left with no other choice, I agreed. I couldn't change carriers, (no one would take me because I now had a preexisting condition), and I couldn't afford the extra $200.00 a month. So, if anything were to happen to my back, it wouldn't be covered and I would have to pay out of pocket. How does this make any sense at all?
With the amount of mis-information out there, let's get some facts straight.
1. The U.S. ranks 47th in life expectancy. -Source: WHO (World Health Organization)
2. The U.S. is the ONLY wealthy industrialized nation without universal health care. - Source: Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.
3. More than 40 Million adults in the U.S. stated they needed but did not receive one or more of the these health services, (Medical care, prescriptions, mental health care, dental or optical) in 2005 because they could not afford it. - Source: National Center of Health Services.
4. A 2006 study by the U.S. Bureau stated
a. 15.8% (47 million) Americans didn’t have
insurance.
b. 84.2% of insured were
1. 59.7% were employer paid
2. 9.1% personally paid
3. 27% government funded (Medicare/ Medicaid)
c.
Medicare, a federally funded program covering most
individuals 65 years old and over and most disabled persons accounted for 13.6%
of health coverage.
d. Medicaid accounted for 12.9% which is paid by
federal and state government to provide
coverage for low income individuals.
5. The U.S. Ranks 43rd in infant mortality behind countries like Hong Kong, Slovenia, and Cuba. -Source: CIA Fact book.
6. 75% of all dollars spent on health care are spent on patients with one or more chronic conditions. Many can be prevented including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, lung disease, high blood pressure and cancer. - Source: Health Affairs.
7. The U.S. spends 2x per capita on health care more than any other country. - Source: National Center for Health Statistics.
8. Some 75 million people in the U.S. lack adequate or any insurance. - Source: Commonwealth Fund.
9. From 2000-2006, overall inflation has increased by 3.5% while wages have increased by 3.5% and health care premiums by 87%. - Source: Kaiser Family Foundation.
10. About half of all bankruptcy filings in the U.S. are due to medical expenses. - Source: Health Affairs Journal
After finding all of this information, again, I have to say that WE NEED NATIONAL HEALTH CARE. People are losing jobs, businesses are closing and the country is going broke. I listen to all these talking heads on TV, congressmen and the President; They all agree something has to be done. The question is how do we do it.
Everyone that thinks government run health care is a bad idea is out in left field. The government does a lot wrong but this happens to be one thing they do better than the private sector. Medicare and Medicaid have lower cost to individuals. People scream that they don't want these entitlements taken away while complaining that they don't want government run health care. That's what Medicare and Medicaid is!
If people are sick or hurt, they are less productive and that costs everyone more money. Health care costs cut into every industry, municipality, government and individual right down the line. Which, in turn, hurts the economy and jobs. People have less money to spend on products and services. Businesses have to increase costs and cut work force which causes unemployment benefits to increase. I would rather help pay for someone's health care than to pay for their health care and unemployment. How many times have you heard of jobs being lost due to rising health care costs? I hear it everyday!
Many out there don't think they have any responsibility for others. This country was not founded on an individual idea but rather what benefited the common good. I believe it should still be that way. Remember the words of John F Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!"
There is entirely to much ME syndrome going around in this country today. If you don't think you should forgo a 55" flat screen TV so that this country can be better- I hope the company you work for doesn't help pay or pay for your health insurance. If we each, (that are able), can't give a little for the mutual good than you don't deserve to call yourself an American! I'm thankful the country wasn't so ME minded during WWII.
Granted, there are a lot of things out government needs to do before they ask us for more money in taxes. But we all need to do our fair share. Our representatives need to give the most. They represent us and should lead by example. If our current members of congress took a 50% pay cut they would still make more than double what the average American citizen makes and would save the taxpayers more than 50 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR! TALK IS CHEAP AND ACTIONS SPEAK VOLUMES.
Reid, Pelosi and the party of no - have to go! They stand in the way of progress. It may cost a little more now to save a lot later.
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