We’re back
We’re back, and I have some news.
I have left the Asheville Citizen-Times to devote my time to advocacy for access to quality health care for all Americans.
This was my choice, and it really wasn’t a difficult one. I was offered the chance to stay at the paper and I declined because this is an important time for our country and I need to be part of the debate.
There are those who said I’m using my son’s death to promote a government takeover of health care.
First of all, I’m certain these people have never sat beside a child as he died when his death should have been preventable. I pray they never do. It is without a doubt the worst thing that can happen to a person.
Secondly, the health care bill out there now is NOT about a government takeover. It is about giving people the option of insurance when the private sector refuses to insure them. My son had a birth defect. He had insurance briefly with an employer, but would never have been able to get it on the open market because a birth defect is a pre-existing condition. He could have used a public option.
Now, if you have a better solution, I’m OK with that, as long as it works. I want to see details. Don’t tell me we need to fix Medicare. How do we fix it?
If you say we need to trim that fat, I want to know what fat you want to trim.
And remember, Medicare is a government single-payer system, and it’s considered to be one of the best single-payer systems in the world.
I left my career and my secure job because there is so much misinformation out there and I need to set the record straight.
1. Medicare is a government program. If you want the government’s hands out of health care, you likely will not be able to get insurance on the free market because most people over age 65 have pre-existing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis … Good luck with that.
2. No one is going to kill senior citizens. Really. The bill offers people on Medicare the opportunity to make a living will so people will know what their wishes are should they have a stroke, sustain a traumatic brain injury in an accident, develop Alzheimer’s disease and then have a heart attack. Do you want everything possible to be done or do you want to be allowed to die without being hooked up to machines? Mike made his wishes known. I have done the same. It’s a very smart thing to do.
I welcome comments, but the conversation will be civil. Comments on this site are moderated to keep it that way. I will post comments from people who disagree with me, as I have done all along. My own son and daughter-in-law don’t agree with me, but we talk things out.
I will not post comments that call people names or are mean-spirited. If you want to be part of the conversation here, please don’t use the words, “you people,” because that almost always leads to a less-than-polite generalization.
Let’s talk about how we get health care to all Americans. Let’s be grown-ups.
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.
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