Healthcare Debate

Well, I am not feeling well this morning.  I am slightly achy, but not too bad.  However, my stomach is a bit sour and I just have an overall feeling of unwell.  It is dark and rainy outside and I would love to just go back home and go to sleep.  I will keep chugging along and see if I feel any better.

So much debate is happening in the U.S. now about universal healthcare.  I will admit, I don't understand it all.  In fact, I don't understand a lot of it.  I hear many sides and feel like each side is leaving out small truths.  I do not believe that people have a right to healthcare.  However, I don't think it is a privilege either.  I do believe that as human beings, we have an obligation to take care of people that cannot take care of themselves.  No one should die because they have an illness that can be treated.  First and foremost in my mind is children.  As a society, we have a moral obligation to ensure the health and well being of our children. 

With all that said, no one in this world should die of starvation either.  But, people do.  I don't know what the solutions are, so I am not going to even try.

I will state what my fears about healthcare changes are...my biggest concern is not being able to see my doctor when I want to see my doctor.  Advocates for healthcare reform say this will not happen.  I would love to hear from people living in countries with social healthcare.  Is it true?  What are the benefits?  What are the downsides/challenges?

If I needed to see my Doctor, I fear that I would be at the bottom of the list.  After all, it is just fibromyalgia- right?  Its not that important, right?

On the flip side, if someone has fibromyalgia and is living with this awful disease and does not have insurance, how do they cope?  I would hope they would have the same opportunities as those with insurance.

I work full time.  I am extremely lucky that my condition has not completely dibilitated me.  But, there is no guarantee of work.  No one can ever predict the direction of their health and it can turn on a dime.  What if I couldn't work?  I wouldn't have health insurance.  But, I do believe my husband would take a job - maybe one he didn't like - if it offered insurance.  Right now he doesn't need to because my insurance covers the family.

I once knew someone though, that did not have health insurance.  She didn't work because she wanted to be home with her children.  How I wish I could be home with my children, I have worked throughout my pregnancies and went back at 12 weeks after birth.  Anyway, she said her husband didn't work because he didn't like the job offers he was given.  This is the kind of story that bothers me.  First, there were 2 able bodied adults that had the ability to work.  They were choosing not to work.  Why should I be paying for their healthcare?

Then there are people out there that truly cannot work for one reason or another.  Maybe they are single mothers or widowers, etc...those are the people that need help.  Those are the people that I feel I have a moral obligation to help.  Where is the balance and how do you stop people from abusing the system?

I would like to see a healthcare plan that can be tested.  It's the project manager in me, but let's try something on a small scale.  Roll it out to a couple of states and see how it can be improved before turning the entire system upside down.

One solution I see - we need more Doctors.  There are not enough of them.  I know people that were diagnosed with cancer and unable to see the referred oncologist for 6 weeks. If you had cancer, would you want to wait 6 weeks to see a specialist?  And, this person had insurance!

And, we need good Doctors.  Smart ones.  I don't care how much money they make if they are good. 

I think Obama is on to something about education in this country.  Kids need to be in school more and focus more on the sciences.  Simply put, we need good doctors.

I would love to hear any comments about this.  As I said earlier, I don't know a lot about the healthcare situation and I haven't been swayed one way or another...yet!