The current bill
Something needs to be done now about health care in this country. Five people die every hour because they’re uninsured.
However, the closer I look at the current bill before Congress, the more I believe it shouldn’t pass.
I tend to watch insurance company stock prices, and they’re rising. It’s a gimme to them with very little control over what they do. They’re still exempt from anti-trust regulation; they can charge someone with a pre-existing condition up to four times the regular premium rate; they can cap yearly coverage; they set their own rates with no oversight; we’re forcing people to buy something many of them can’t afford, and the only place they can go is the greedy, no-value-added private insurance companies. Plus the companies can flock to the states with the worst regulations, just like the credit card companies did.
No, this is not an acceptable bill. It doesn’t reform anything, but it does give the insurance companies millions of new customers.
Supporters say it’;s a foundation on which we can build, but in 40 years, have we managed to expand Medicare? We were told that’s what would happen.
No, the insurance companies will resist any attempt to cut into their profits. They’re spending $1.5 million every day of the dollars we spend in premiums to fight any meaningful reform. They’re playing dirty tricks like using Faceboook games to generate “surveys” that offer players extra points. Take the survey and an e-mail is sent to Congress in your name opposing health reform. More than 2 million e-mails have been sent so far.
You can’t compare this to car insurance because people can choose not to drive — especially in the cities, where public transportation is adequate.
We need to go to reconciliation to get what we can out of that. At least then we can pass something on a majority vote, which is what our Constitution intended.
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a new peer support program for people newly diagnosed with chronic or serious illness or with a new disability and their caregivers.
Patient Pals are people who have experience with various illnesses and disabilities, who can help someone newly diagnosed or with a new disability work through the fear, frustration, confusion and grief often experienced in the first few months.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
People with new illness or disability fare better when they have a role model -- someone who can help them negotiate their new path in life.
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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