Friday, May 13, 2011

Healthcare is for Communists !!

In a book I was recently reading it said "Most Americans get health insurance as part of an employee benefit package." and then continued further down, "Traditional health insurance.... is like car insurance.". The first issue with this is where it states "Most Americans". The worker's who have medical coverage are typically the ones who have better jobs that provide these, and can afford it. People working behind the counter at places like McDonald's or as a "bagger" at Vons do not typically have medical coverage, and they are the ones who are least able to afford it. The insurance that we do get these days is very similar to the car insurance analogy. You have to pay a basic premium at a monthly rate, when you go in to get fixed you have to pay for medical costs, and then the company is supposed to reimburse you. The problem is this can be a long process, and there are intelligent and crafty people who work for these insurance companies, and there only job is to disqualify anything and everything they can. Some actually receive bonuses based on how many people they can disqualify, and a lot of times it is when they need it the most. The basic problem with this set-up is money and greed. Anytime money is the driving factor behind a situation it is destined to be destroyed by greed. How is it morally acceptable to not save someone's life or help them because they don't have money, even though we have the capability? If we incorporated a program similar to that of France or Canada, then we would definitely have to raise taxes. This would stir controversy with the population, but I think they will be much less keen on complaining when a family member is in need of radiation therapy for cancer or an organ transplant from kidney failure. The system has been in place for years in many other countries, and America is not at the top of the list for one of the healthiest countries. People argue how having universal health care would mean bringing socialism into the country, and for some reason people associate socialism with communism. What about the postal service!?!? What about Social Security programs?!? Our school system is paid for through taxes. Is education more valuable than health? We also pay taxes for police and fire protection - no matter if we use them or not. We already incorporate socialism into our country. The definition of socialism, as a dictionary definition, is "a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.". It says nothing about it being communist or, as a lot of Americans interpret the definition incorrectly, "Anti-American". It is our duty as human beings to care for others when we have the means to do so, and it is every person's right, no matter their socioeconomic status, to receive health care.

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