Spring Break
Single-payer health care affordable and effective
Jason Ortiz
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Commentary
As the health care debate continues to get muddled by the politicians and mainstream media, the actual human element of the debate is lost. Everyday people - our friends, teachers, parents and neighbors - are struggling with the implications of our broken health care system. With 46 million Americans uninsured and 25 million underinsured, roughly a quarter of our population lacks adequate health coverage. Viruses and diseases don't check to see if you have health insurance. Swine flu doesn't care what your deductible is, and will spread from the uninsured to the wealthy without missing any paperwork. Unless we treat health as a community problem, we will continue to see disease and illness dominate our lives.
We are becoming accustomed to hearing stories about people our grandparents' age dealing with health care problems, but we rarely hear about the people our age who are having their lives torn apart trying to figure out how to pay for care they never expected they would need. I had a very personal situation come to my attention recently that made me realize just how serious this health care crisis is, and how vital it is that we institute a single-payer system in the U.S.
I recently found out a friend from high school has been diagnosed with lymphomic cancer at age 25. She comes from a middle-class white suburban upbringing and had a full time waitressing job that was responsible enough to provide her with health insurance. She, like many young people, picked the cheapest plan available with a high deductible. She never thought she could be diagnosed with a deadly illness like cancer at such a young age.
So when the diagnosis came in, she was understandably shocked. Despite having coverage, the cost of her care will far exceed both her coverage and her ability to pay for specialized treatment. She went from feeling secure in her finances to suddenly having no idea how she will be able to afford the treatments that could save her life.
She is caught in the same health care nightmare that millions of Americans face today. Her insurance is tied to her job. Because the debilitating side effects of her chemotherapy may cause her to be unable to work, she is caught in a catch-22. If she becomes too ill to work, her employment may be terminated, and thus her insurance as well.
We are becoming accustomed to hearing stories about people our grandparents' age dealing with health care problems, but we rarely hear about the people our age who are having their lives torn apart trying to figure out how to pay for care they never expected they would need. I had a very personal situation come to my attention recently that made me realize just how serious this health care crisis is, and how vital it is that we institute a single-payer system in the U.S.
I recently found out a friend from high school has been diagnosed with lymphomic cancer at age 25. She comes from a middle-class white suburban upbringing and had a full time waitressing job that was responsible enough to provide her with health insurance. She, like many young people, picked the cheapest plan available with a high deductible. She never thought she could be diagnosed with a deadly illness like cancer at such a young age.
So when the diagnosis came in, she was understandably shocked. Despite having coverage, the cost of her care will far exceed both her coverage and her ability to pay for specialized treatment. She went from feeling secure in her finances to suddenly having no idea how she will be able to afford the treatments that could save her life.
She is caught in the same health care nightmare that millions of Americans face today. Her insurance is tied to her job. Because the debilitating side effects of her chemotherapy may cause her to be unable to work, she is caught in a catch-22. If she becomes too ill to work, her employment may be terminated, and thus her insurance as well.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 2
The problem
posted 11/04/09 @ 10:54 AM EST
"Like Social Security, this could be an efficient form of social insurance."
The problem is: SOCIAL SECURITY IS GOING BANKRUPT!!!
"Social Security will start paying out more in benefits than it collects in taxes in 2016, a year sooner than projected last year, and the giant trust fund will be depleted by 2037, four years sooner"
http://www. (Continued…)
Post a Comment