I know a lot of people who are scared of the health care reform that President Obama is pushing. I understand that change is scary and that most people are resistant to it. Fear of change can cause people to react and say the first thing that comes to their mouths before their minds have a chance to censor or stop and consider the full ramifications of those words. And both the sides of the spectrum have been guilty of antagonizing the other when it comes to issues like health care reform. I do think there are a lot of changes that need to be made and that the system in place is seriously flawed.
I am currently one of the fortunate ones in that both my husband and I are employed, we are in good health and we have fairly decent health insurance coverage that even includes dental and vision. I also know that we are quickly becoming part of an elite few when it comes to these things. So many of my friends are dealing with less than ideal situations when it comes to jobs and/or health insurance. They’ve lost their jobs, therefore losing their insurance or in order to keep their jobs, their employers have changed their health insurance coverage to a plan that is lower in cost but also covers much less than before.
What I am seeing happen is one of two things lately:
- More and more people losing health insurance and benefits and therefore not getting or seeking medical treatment when they need it or if they do, they are going even more broke trying to pay for it.
For example:
A good?friend of mine is in a situation where she IS working, but working for one company through a temp agency. So even though she is working full time and making money, she has no insurance or benefits coverage. She is also making a fraction of what she would be making if she was a full-time employee where she is currently is. Her husband just recently lost his job because his company went under. However, prior to that, they lost insurance coverage through his employer. They have to hope and pray that nothing major happens to either one of them because otherwise they will be out of their home, sick and broke. She’s blogged about her trials of living as a working American without conventional (or any) health insurance?here
Another example:
Another close friend of mine lost her job awhile back and is now working free lance. She is making money, but not enough to afford a private insurance plan. Several months ago while she was out running, she twisted her ankle. Because she had no insurance, she did not go to the doctor. It is still giving her trouble and there is little she can do about it because she cannot afford to pay for x-rays or the doctors visit let alone whatever prescriptions she might be prescribed to treat her injury.
These are just two small examples of the problems people face when they do not work for Corporate America or are stuck inside the loopholes of Corporate America. And while yes, they are two small and possibly to you insignificant examples, their stories are more common than you probably want to think and happening to too many people inside our borders right now. Maybe you’re currently in this situation or one similar to it. Or you know one or two or several people in similar situations. You don’t think it’s right, but what are you going to do because, hey, that’s how it is and that’s how it’ll always be. Well, that’s not true, but I’m not going to get into a history lesson on the evolution of health care and health insurance. And if you think that these two situations that I’ve ?given you as examples will never happen to you, then you need to get your head out of your ass.
The other thing I’m seeing is this:
- People who have jobs and insurance coverage find that they are no longer receiving cost of living increases because of the situation with the economy, and yet their insurance COSTS are going UP while their COVERAGE is going DOWN. Therefore, they are not seeing the doctor until their situation becomes dire and possibly life threatening.
Neither of these situations are good or morally right and there really does need to be change. I commend the President for stepping forward and outside of the box to suggest that the current state of our country’s health care is in poor condition; see that it needs change that is better for the everyone, not just the very poor and the very rich, and has a plan of action.
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