What Two Painters Taught Me About The Health Care Debate

Helping my senior parent wade through doctor's appointments has been a real eye opening experience. Don't get me wrong, they get great health care and fortunately theyre both in pretty good shape. But, they have medicairmedicade with a supplemental and they get referred to specialists all over the place. And for myself, my doctor doesn't seem to be able to do much except also refer. So things that used to be one visit are now 3 or 4 bills, one to a primary care, who doesn't draw blood but refers you to a company or hospital for the blood draw, who send it to a lab to diagnosis, so 4 bills later, I know my cholesterol is a little high and my prescription stays the same?????? It's so complicated and there are so many "new" parties, I'm not surprized costs have risen. If all the referring is because of lawsuits and malpractice insurance, than perhaps a good beginning point is eliminating a few steps. What I don't understand is why have insurance companies allowed the services to snowball so much. Can anyone explain?

Unfortunately many voters had these same feelings in November. They weren't keen on Obama, they just didn't like President Bush. So by voting for Obama, they were able to throw a protest vote against President Bush by not voting for McCain. So now we are stuck with someone that not many people really wanted because he was the less of two evils.

The Dems are running ads in vulnerable states pushing the idea of fighting against the evil insurance companies. I agree that health insurance needs reform, as well as tort reform, elimination of direct to market ads by pharma, etc., but none of that is being debated. The Dems need a villain, and the insurance companies are it for now.

You'd think we would be so interested in health potential as we are in health care. With lung cancer the #1 killer in the US ? I'm not going to think twice that automobile and petro exhaust doesn't contribute to that. Our energy solutions ? Coal and oil ? Probably cost us more than this health bill can afford to remedy. We're ignoring the causal factors leading to poor health all the while chasing the ambulance- hmm - to the hospital that won't be a financially fiscal hospital if it's forced to take and provide care for all who pass through the doors. Almost sounds like Community Re-investment Act with the forced mortgages, where banks were simply required or mandated to give out loans - in some cases whether the recipient of the loan had good credit or not. Remember Massachussetts has health coverage but you must pay for it OR face the $900 fine. I find forced mergers leading to the largest global financial corporation (ok ok I said global, but I'll say 'in the world') equally questionable as forced health insurance policies. There are no guarantees in life, I do not believe there exists base rights to HAVING health care, but I DO believe there need to be base rights to having HEALTH, and healthful living, e.g. clean air, clean water, it's bizarre you have to say Clean actually. The last two Native Americans I read from, Chief Seattle and Black Elk BOTH warned of this - mess. Total sellout to that which provides life for chump change for the insolent greedy.