My editorial on universal health care printed today

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2011/01/11/opinion/doc4d2c9fa26e19f219676903.txt

As a new Congress begins work, one area requires immediate attention — especially in Texas. This, of course, is health care. Texas leads the United States in adults and children with no health insurance. Currently, 26.2 percent of adults in Texas and 18.2 percent of children in Texas have NO medical insurance, public or private.

The Center For Disease Control is a wonderful resource for information on health care and health in America. Some of the statistics:

• 9 percent of adults ages 18- 64 have diabetes

• At least 6 of every 10 deaths could be prevented from colon cancer if every adult 50 years or older got tested regularly.

• In 2007, 202,964 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer; 40,598 women in the United States died from breast cancer.

• In 2007, 30 percent of Americans over age 20 had hypertension.

• As of Jan. 8, the number of people on transplant waiting lists was 110,168 Americans

In each of these cases, access to early diagnosis, treatment and adequate pharmaceuticals is the key to survival and quality of life.

Unfortunately, health care is the first subject to be challenged by the new Congress. Instead of discussing this extreme need experienced by citizens of our nation, talk is rampant about “Repealing Obamacare” ... with no alternative offered.

As we prepare to celebrate the life of a great American, never forget one of his most passionate causes. “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” I have no doubt that Martin Luther King Jr. would have supported universal health care.

Dr. King was wise beyond his years. As a nation, we would all benefit by learning from him.

[ejpoeta]

1. i got into a big argument with my brother over the health care law.

his plan: repeal it altogether and start by limiting lawsuits. yep. lawsuits. no matter how much i told him how miniscule that is he refused to listen. and being able to sell insurance over state lines. to which i told him that then all the insurance companies would move to the state with the least regulations and then we would be screwed. how? being denied coverage. they wouldn't do that. of course not because in ny they can't (i assume they can't because it hasn't happened to anyone I know). but then you go to a different company he says. really? they are all in bed together. it's called collusion. this guy is a full fledged glenn beck certified idiot. and he is my brother. his wife was just going on about how much they have to pay for meds for her and her son with asthma. and then there is the $5000 deductible. he kept insisting that insurance companies only make 6%. where the fuck is he getting this info!! take a family that pays $250 every two weeks for insurance. now add a $5000 deductible to that. (there is a $10k deductible available too) this is per person!! who will meet this deductible? who? so when you don't meet your deductible after spending $500 a month times 12 months.... where does that money go that they didn't have to spend on you? i ended up leaving because i couldn't listen to it anymore. it's like talking to a brick wall listening to them all go on about 'obamacare' and how terrible it is.

i guess they don't realize what a preexisting condition is. pat's wife is obese and has asthma. i hope he never finds out just how little insurance he actually has.

[w8liftinglady]

2. refer him to THIS "6%" CEO pay scale for insurance companies

http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/ceou/industry.cfm

[ejpoeta]

3. he is not interested in any facts. it's only true if beck says it apparently.

i told him they have 30% overhead. he just kept insisting how they only make 6%. i look at it this way. when you have all these people paying into the system while they are healthy and then they get sick and lose their job and thus no insurance or you kick them out for preexisting conditions or something then where does all that money go that you just paid into the system go. why can't people fucking see that! all that money goes in their damned pockets.

[w8liftinglady]

4. I deal with that mindset daily(I work in healthcare)

try to explain the cost-saving by providing preventative care and medications....their heads spin and they puke green goo....
I feel your pain...

[spanone]

5. k&r....

[w8liftinglady]

6. thanks,friend. My doc pal gave me a hug over this one,too...

[Catherina]

7. “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”

Rec'd. Thank you for all your hard work.

[w8liftinglady]

8. Thank you. I see thepotential benefits of UHC daily

[w8liftinglady]

9. and,of course, this is being low-rated...without comment

by my neighbors.
I knew their mindset when I wrote it...but was hoping they MIGHT see a loved one in the words.
Hmmm.