I was watching 60 Minutes earlier tonight. They had a story on Americans going overseas to get surgery. Some went for cosmetic surgery and others for life-saving procedures like heart bypass surgery, with everything in between being offered.
This story was a repeat. I remembered seeing it before, but I didn't remember one statistic they mentioned. Forty million Americans have no health insurance. None.
The only explanation for more not having been done to address this--at least the only one I'll buy--is that it's easy for the insurance companies to buy influence in the halls of power. To all of the politicians who could do more and are sitting on their hands, I say, "I don't know how you can live with yourselves, knowing that so many citizens of this wealthy country are going without health insurance."
There are a few approaches I can think to try. A national health insurance system is one, but that's just so socialist. Know what, kids? That the concept is socialist doesn't make it wrong. The government is hip-deep in healthcare anyhow. Oh, and we're already footing the healthcare bill, so who cares if it winds up in our tax bills? It might be more honest and more efficient.
If not a national healthcare plan, then changes still need to occur. The current system only provides a safety net for people who are dirt poor. Then there are people with good jobs that come with health insurance (or who have the money to pay for it themselves). In between, there's a large group of hard working, honest citizens of this country who can't afford coverage and don't qualify for government help.
This situation is a disgrace. 40 million uninsured Americans. 40 million! This has to change!
1 comment:
It did change. It's now 45 million.
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