(I wasn't going to post this post because I felt it was too political and may offend someone and the last thing I want to do is offend anyone. But as I sit on the phone with my insurance company trying to figure out stuff and I want to SCREAM at the poor people on the other end who are just doing their job, I am inclined to post and see what others say and what you feel about this. Again if you are offended I am sorry and if you don't want to read my rant about our health care system please feel free to pass.) All type in red was added today!
I am depressed at the moment(and still am). We started watching the Micheal Moore movie SiCKO last night(Saturday night) and it made me SadO...we ended up having to finish it today(Sunday). If you haven't seen it you should. I'm not sure how factual it is or what the "critics" say but it was depressing for me. I told Special K that I would like to pack up and move to Canada I never really thought about anything different than what we have as our health care system...but ours SUCKS!! As a person who has college debt and is now trying to figure out who is supposed to pay the medical bills from the accident I was in over Thanksgiving...this movie made me want to pack up and move to a country that has free college education and universal health care....VIVA LA FRANCE!!
I've always loved living in the US but now I'm wondering. I grew up in Panama with military insurance from my father working for the DoDD Schools(Department of Defense Dependent Schools) down there. I never really thought about health care. I actually spent quite a few years without any health care. I tried to stay healthy and even dabbled in western medicine...I would stick with it if it wasn't so expensive in the US. I swear acupuncture, herbs and preventative care is wonderful. When I graduated and started my first "real" job with insurance I thought "hey, now I can go to the doctor when I'm sick or if something happens and I'm covered." Covered, what does that mean?? I am still trying to figure it out.
I hope that everything gets figured out and with this pending bone chip...I wonder how much will get covered and how much I will have to pay out of pocket.(Both my doctor and hospital are in network but I'm still going to have a bit of out of pocket expense)
Back to the movie for a second it was amazing how those people were treated in Cuba of all places and for free and got their medicine for pennies...while their doctors here wouldn't even give them the test they needed and charged them outrageous amounts of money for their medications. What are we doing in America to help our sick and heroes no less? If you haven't seen the movie I'm sorry I'm not being detailed but watch it and you will understand.
I hope I am not offending anyone by talking about this on my knitting blog...I am sorry in advance for that. I know it's political and I am in no way a huge political person. I just wanted to express my frustrations at the moment with all the money that is supposed to come from some where to pay for our health and education.
I'm now planning on paying more attention to our candidates and see where they stand on this. I guess it's partly my fault for not paying more attention to our governments actions but I am naive in the thinking they will take care of their people and we will all live happily ever after. I am usually not so morose and synical but that movie just got me in a mood. I'm sure I'll be fine soon.
Well...I'm off to enjoy our one year anniversary with Special K. We both took the day or half day off to spend with each other. Should brighten my mood. Hope that you will still read my blog after this post.
Thank you and have a wonderful day.
Sicko made me sick too. I cried almost the whole way through it! It is ridiculous that we could be one of the richest nations on Earth but cannot take care of our own citizens. I don't think it should be a polititcal issue but a humane issue. It sickens me to no end that huge corporations can take your money month after month and then when you really need the help they are supposed to give, can make life or death decisions based on greed. I don't know what the answer to our system should be, but I know it's messed up and needs to change in a big way.
ReplyDeleteOf course I will read your blog. I went a period of time without health insurance--and if you don't have insurance--they don't want to see you unless you pay now. and the poor cannot do that. So sad.Years ago the insurance companies went to court claiming that Dr.'s shouldn't be allowed to charge pts. without insurance less--and they won. Now so many of them have an "allowed amt." and the Dr. has to accept that--yet the pt. without insurance has to pay the full amt. Where is the justice. And the pt. without insurance is usually lower income. Crazy!! well enough of my blathering.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't apologize for posting about something other than knitting...if folks don't want to read a rant, then they can skip the post (it is YOUR blog!). I haven't seen Sicko yet...I will, but Michael Moore frustrates me at times...I have a lot of respect for him trying to bring these topics to light. However, in the society we live in, even the most minor factual errors allows 'them' to jump all over him. In the end, it seems his movies are more harmful to the cause than not...because by not getting 100% of every fact correct, and crossing every t, his whole cause is written off as having no credit--even the parts that are completely correct.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, I hear you about insurance in this country.
Yeah, sister. Michael Moore rocks. Can't you guys in the US do something to get him instated as President?
ReplyDeleteNote to the PP: Michael Moore is a polemicist. His work is polemic. It is not trying to be impartial, it is deliberately political. The objective is to cause audiences to realise that the stuff spouted by the right-wing politicians he takes on is *also* polemic. This isn't a battle for who's got the facts right, it's about Moore making people realise that things they may formerly have relied on as facts are nothing more than political and social constructions. Because that's all there is. This isn't a truth game, it's a politics game. Hope that made sense. If not, look up what Moore himself has to say about polemic and what he's trying to achieve: he explains it better than I do.
ReplyDeleteIt's your blog, so you get to post what you want! :-)
ReplyDeleteScience Friday through "Talk of the Nation" (?) on 12/14/07 had a really good discussion about what is wrong with our health care system, what would need to be done for a repair, and in some ways, how to look at political candidates. It's worth checking out...
The state of health care in this country is a disgrace. It's not the best care in the world. Infant mortality is WAY higher than it should be. Lots of procedures are done that aren't needed, but at the same time, poor folks can't get anything like adequate care. And you hear rich talk show hosts and politicians talking about the rest of us shouldering more of the cost.
ReplyDeleteCripes, can you tell I feel strongly about this? It shouldn't be this hard to get affordable care. I live in terror of getting sick.
RANT ON! That is your blog(ative) prerogative!
ReplyDeleteLet's just say I went without health insurance for five years...and was scared every moment for the day when I would get hit by a car riding my bicycle or end up with a sinus infection I couldn't afford to treat (which nearly happened once, when I ran out of antibiotic treatments that I COULD AFFORD--the next one up would have cost me $800 dollars for a two week prescription. Furthermore, I was told that my sinus infection would likely pass the brain barrier if not treated. But luckily the last round before the $800 round worked!)
IT IS RIDICULOUS that people in the US have to choose between paying rent (or buying food) and taking care of their health.
I am lucky now to have good insurance paid by a foreign government (I work for a school owned by a foreign government that believes in paying for its employees health insurance). I count my blessings for this job--just in health insurance alone!
Good luck with your dealings with the health insurance company!
The one problem I have with the Canada plan is though it may look like an answer, I have read wait lists to see specialists is quite long. We do have a good medical care system here, it could be much better. I think insurance companies make it rough for everyone because its been reported they are in it to make a profit. I think the whole system of disability is a big crock. I spent the better part of my "sick time" due to my back issues/surgery just fighting with the disability people when I should of been taking it easy. I had to do all the work...while in pain. Which naturally made me 100xs more "cranky". It stinks I agree.
ReplyDelete