{Today's article by Maren- please welcome my guest writer}
We Americans are coming face to face with THE issue of our day...legislation that if not stopped will forever change our country...an issue that impacts our ability to act as freedom loving individuals. President Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi cryptically call it "the public option." I call it the biggest takeover of individual liberty our government has ever attempted. The House of Representatives and the Senate are furiously working on the government takeover of our health care. Radical changes may be about to take place that you need to know about regardless on what your political leanings are. What is presented here is not meant to be a comprehensive discussion of current problems with our health care which is far from perfect.
If you were to hear President Obama speak on this issue, you would never know that he plans to make ALL of us dependent on the government. My husband and I have worked hard our entire adult lives in order to avoid that. We prefer taking care of our family's needs. We don't want the government to have any control over our lives, or at least more than it already does. That is about to change unless we raise our voices loud, strong, and now. For years we have been hearing about "the health care crisis." Call something a crisis and government gives itself unlimited power to "fix" it, no matter the cost. Yet studies show that most Americans are quite happy with their own health insurance plans, not to imply that private health care is without problems. President Obama has said that a health care bill must be passed before the August recess for Congress. We must be on the brink of disaster within a matter of days for this mad rush to be occurring. Or...maybe...the less time the public has to be made aware of this monstrosity of a bill, the less time we have to make noise and shut it down. President Obama is afraid to send his legislators home to hear the dissenting voices regarding this matter. This bill is over 1000 pages long and, trust me, no lawmaker in Washington knows what is in it, much less has read it.
Here are a few facts for you to consider:
1. President Obama says that this plan will help curb out-of-control medical costs. Since when has our government been a model of frugality? If our government knew how to have a smart budget Medicare and Medicaid would be a streamlined model of how to set up a nationalized plan. Both of these programs are deep in red ink. The ONLY way government will save money on our health care is to limit choices and make you wait. We have to look at other countries that have a government system. Take Canada, for instance. There are more MRI machines in Philadelphia than all of Canada. Think of what that means for waiting times when your doctor (when you finally get an appointment) orders such a diagnostic test. Meanwhile, whatever is ailing you isn't getting better and may actually worsen. Why do you think the English are notorious for bad teeth? The government dentists have quotas, and when they meet those qoutas, English citizens don't get an appointment. They wait and wait, and their teeth rot. And, true story, in England if you have macular degeneration, which leads to blindness, you will only be treated after both eyes are affected. We Americans have been spoiled with the rapidity at which we are used to receiving treatment. Yeah, we've got a real health care crisis (sarcasm intended). We don't know the meaning of the words.
2. Government health care gives the government more control over our lives. This is a good moment to reflect on discussions you've had with a physician regarding your personal health, or the health of your child or a parent. Can you imagine not being able to make private, personal medical decisions affecting you or a family member with the help of your physician? How would you like a bureaucrat deciding what your treatment (or no treatment) will be? If you currently have an HMO, you have an idea of what this means, but your frustrations are a fraction of what they will be under a behemoth government bureaucracy. Let me tell you about an actual cancer stricken woman in Oregon. Oregon has a state run health care system. When her only option was a drug not on the state formulary (an approved list of drugs) she was sent an unsigned letter stating that her treatment was denied, but that physician-assisted suicide would be offered to her. Fortunately, the compassionate drug company that manufactured the needed drug donated the medicine to her. This is real, and this is what we are facing unless we shake ourselves out of the delusion that can't happen to us. Some other possibilities? You go to the ER with crushing chest pain and you are diagnosed with a heart attack. One problem...you smoke. Sorry, no treatment. You have a painful, arthritic hip and need a hip replacement? Sorry...according to the government charts you are overweight. Denied. One more scenario, your 90 year-old active, vibrant mother needs a pacemaker? Too old. These are actual standards in countries that have socialized medicine (Oops! I mean the "public option"). Foods that may be considered unhealthy (think red meat, sugar, and butter) and activities that may be considered high risk for injury (mountain climbing or soccer) may come under increased scrutiny from our government. The government will be increasingly interested in what you eat and do.
3. President Obama says that you can keep your private health insurance. That is disingenuous. On page 16 of this bill, it clearly states that NO new policies can be issued by private insurance companies. If you change jobs and, therefore, need to change medical insurance, you will automatically be kicked into the government system. The intent is crystal clear. Eventually, all private medical insurance companies will be forced out. If you'd like to change insurance companies because a competing company offers lower rates or a preferable set of benefits, forget about it. That means that private insurance companies can't compete for your business because they can't even write you a policy if they wanted to. If the free market system has it's hands tied by the government it will collapse. This is exactly what our current administration wants. Eventually, we all end up under an oppressive system. At least, now, if you are not happy with your insurance, change it. Not happy with your doctor? Find a new one. Didn't like the last hospital where you had surgery? Choose another. All of these entities now compete for your business because of the free market. Those choices will be taken from you. Oh, and don't expect our lawmakers to come under this new system. They will keep their own first-class health insurance, courtesy of the tax payer...aka YOU.
It all comes down to this question. Why does the government want to be in charge of my health care? It's not because they care about you. Come on. They want control over you. We will all need them. Your liberty is being threatened. Read everything you can get your hands on. Inform yourself. This can be stopped. Contact your senators and congressmen. Encourage your friends and family members to do the same. Call. E-mail. Now.
Download House-Democrats-Health-Plan-
Thanks Maren-
Download House-Democrats-Health-Plan-
Thanks Maren-
I agree we do need to inform ourselves and do everything we can to maintain our liberties.
Other articles by Maren-
All Smiles and Purple fingers.
