Sunday, August 16, 2009

A rant concerning an email

I got an email concerning the health care argument going on in the US. Supposedly Obama was asked if he would give up his health care for a Universal Health Care option. I think the entire email is a total lie.

First, Universal Health, also known as Single Payer, is not on the table. The proposed system would be in addition to private insurance.

Second, I think we have to look at this a little different. The government is
already in the health insurance business. It runs the Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicaid, paid for solely with tax dollars, provides for the health care of
millions of poor children. Do we ever hear about Medicaid being over
charged? Yes, but there is insurance fraud in the private sector too. The
government through the court system has to enforce all insurance fraud
whether public or private.

Medicare is the largest provider of health insurance to people 65 and over.
It is the number one provider of payments of services such as hip fractures.
How often does a person have to wait a long time for a broken hip or even
have to get prior consent for treatment? It looks like a pretty well run
program to me.

I, on the other hand, have private insurance with a very large provider. I was diagnosed with
a hiatle hernia a few years ago. My insurance provider would not pay for the surgery to fix
my hernia. Instead, they ordered the doctor to give me medication that I
took for 2 years. I had trouble sleeping. my provider again denied the surgery. I
was told to elevate the head of the bed and sleep on extra pillows. I was
miserable. Finally, I developed a pre-cancerous condition which forced my insurance company
to allow the surgery. I've had no problems since.

We have to look at the insurance companies as a bureaucracy that is in
business to make money. They make money only as long as they don't pay for
medical services.

As for the email's argument, President Obama's health care, as are all the
senators and representatives' health care, is publicly provided by the US
government. Our elected leaders' health care has been called, "Second to
None!"

My goodness, I want some of that!

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