General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSenator McCain will receive state-of-the-art treatment
for his glioblastoma. I have absolutely zero problem with that and hope he has good results from it. That type of cancer is notoriously hard to treat, and most patients die within a couple of years. I wish him the best with his treatment.
Sadly, there are many people who have received the same diagnosis as John McCain who will not receive treatment similar to his treatment. It's hugely expensive to provide the kind of care he will get. The uninsured or poorly insured will get diagnosed, but will not receive the full-out, aggressive treatment the Senator will.
Instead, many people with that diagnosis get a round of chemo and then are told to put their affairs in order, because "There is nothing more we can do." Many of us have heard those words from medical professionals being said about a relative, parent, spouse or other loved one. Some have heard it in reference to themselves. We have little choice but to accept that judgement, and most people do not know what treatments are available, really.
There is a deep irony here. As Senator McCain copes with this grave diagnosis and the prospect of a long course of treatments and tests and more treatments, the Senate of which he is a member is trying to remove health coverage for millions of Americans. If they succeed, the words, "There is nothing more we can do" will be spoken more and more often and to more and more people.
This nation needs to step up and into a world where every American can and will receive full and proper coverage for their illnesses, just as John McCain will receive. It's a big challenge, but it is the only fair way to handle healthcare. Most major nations offer universal coverage for their citizens. That our own country does not is completely unacceptable.
I wish John McCain well. I wish the same for every American who receives a dire diagnosis. That is what we should be fighting for. I want a country where the words, "There is nothing more we can do" would be spoken only when every possible treatment has been tried and has failed. Those words should never be spoken because it costs too much to provide care to patients who cannot pay for that treatment. This is what we should have, not the nonsense being planned by the current Congress.
That's my opinion this Thursday morning. Thanks for reading it.
Va Lefty
(6,252 posts)MineralMan
(146,317 posts)Bettie
(16,111 posts)full and proper coverage is what we all should have.
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)That makes what Congress is up to right now especially insidious, I think.
Bettie
(16,111 posts)personally would not say that.
They would say you should only get what you can personally afford (until one of their family members runs up against a maximum, that is).
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)People who fail to recognize that are simply ignoring the evidence around them. They are in denial.
Bettie
(16,111 posts)"why should I have to pay for someone else? I pay my own way!" from right wingers.
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)All insurance involved pooling funds to pay for people who need them. All insurance.
People who say what you mentioned are simply stupid or ignorant about how this all works.
JenniferJuniper
(4,512 posts)several years younger than McCain is now.
She got the "morphine treatment" and was dead within 3 weeks of diagnosis.
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)It's a cruel disease. No question about it.