The Health Care Debate Could Not Be More Personal
December 23, 2009 By: Kvatch Category: Commentary, Health, Personal
This is a post that I’ve been very reluctant to write as it involves a situation that, I’m almost embarrassed to say, really should never have been allowed to happen.
You see, for the six months leading up to our little sojourn abroad, after I lost my last steady job back in March 2009, the Frogette and I were “soaring without a net” for the first time in our lives. In other words…with no steady work and crappy COBRA coverage that was too expensive to consider, we choose to risk having no medical coverage at all rather than shell out roughly $8,000 over that period.
Was this a wise decision? Probably not. I have at least two pre-existing conditions that may preclude me from ever getting steady coverage again. (We have “temp” coverage now, but it covers almost nothing.) And we are getting older. In fact, we’ve both reached that stage of life where we really need to be taking care of ourselves, and part of that is good, solid, regular, routine medical exams. Exactly what we cannot get in our current situation, in our country of citizenship, in what Republicans keep referring to as the ‘finest, most efficient, health care system in the world’.
I don’t know how the health care debate is going to turn out. Personally, my knee-jerk instinct is to oppose what looks like another ’super-giveaway’ to huge, prosperous corporations. On the other hand, if this opportunity to reform the system is lost, there may not be another in our lifetimes.
Regardless, what I do know is this: If the US does not move toward providing health care to all its citizens—does not make for-profit health care illegal, whether it’s single-payer or via some other mechanism—I will not allow myself and my family to be frozen out of affordable health care. I will not risk financial ruin to help pad the bottom line of corporations that are not really interested in keeping anybody healthy. I will take my expertise, my education, my industry, my company, my resources, and my taxes, and I—WILL—LEAVE! I can certainly find another kleptocracy that will, at the very least, take care of me in my declining years, and for the US government to think otherwise, is pure hubris.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:31 pm
All I know is this “healthcare reform” they’re about to pass has not one single provision that benefits me. I rather liked my single payer style coverage that we had while I was in the Army, it took care of everything. Now that I’m out here like everyone else, ya, I have health insurance… BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN ANYONE WILL EXCEPT IT!
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I had military health care until I was twenty and I thought it was great. Everything else has turned out to be more of a pain than it was worth. The only decent health insurance I ever had was when I worked in the entertainment industry and COBRA was so expensive that I had to let that fall by the wayside.
Since I also have several preexisting conditions no insurance company will take me which is why I am so glad the VA here in Reno is so wonderful.
This so called health care reform isn’t going to help anyone except for the usual suspects. Depending on the next two elections I might leave the country also. I wonder if being born in England will finally turn out to be a plus?
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:19 pm
We’ve talked about doing the same (i.e., leaving) but with one of us on disability and the other, while talented in a certain rather esoteric field, lacking “highly desirable” skills – and both of us aging – we doubt anyplace would take us. Sigh.
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Fred… The mandatory coverage for people with pre-existing conditions does help me out, but only of the Feds police the insurers like crazy. Shall we take bets on whether or not that will happen?
Deb… I’ve often had decent coverage, but not since moving to CA. The Frogette supplied the coverage that we both used for many years. Now that we’re no longer CA residents, I find that the available insurance doesn’t cover much of anything, but it *IS* a lot cheaper that if we’d purchased it in California.
December 24th, 2009 at 11:29 am
The state of health care in this country means that I cannot change jobs, even if something comes along that might be better, because I can’t risk changing insurance. At my age I can’t afford the risk of being denied coverage because of something pre-existing (hopefully that issue will be fixed to some degree). Also, I have to carry my husband because he has a job that could end any minute, not the kind that people retire from.
The idea that coverage is employer-based just makes no sense to me, and it creates a great hardship on employers and employees both. The idea of health care for profit is repugnant. This is health (and life itself). It’s not a product.
December 24th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Larry… Welcome to Ragebot! The skills/health questions are profound ones. Though I did suggest it in my post, if all highly skilled Americans were to do what I’m contemplating, it would be a disaster for the country.
Blueberry… I’ve gone through a similar thought process, often thinking I should hunker down and get a job that provides decent health care…for that reason alone. I just can’t do it. I want the system fixed.
December 24th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
In this economy making having a job a prerequisite for having health care is just criminal. Period.
December 24th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Recently, the compnay I worked for was sold, to some international conglomerate. While the new company tussled with the Union, I had absolutely no coverage at all. I held out hope that our congress would stand up for the people like me, working hard and unable to afford COBRA, but no, congress only represents the corporate interests.
December 25th, 2009 at 7:44 am
…having a job a prerequisite for having health care is just criminal.
Frogette… Pretty much what most other western democracies have already figured out.
Lew… As we’re all aware, Congress is serving the constituency that pays the bills. A 59% majority of Americans in favor of the public option, and no public option in in the Senate bill, pretty much tell the tale.
December 25th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas to all you cool cats and pretty kitties! And have a purrrfect New Year!
December 26th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I think whatever toothless watered-down health “reform” package we end up with will be better than nothing. It’ll be a start.
BTW, as long as you’re in Ecuador, you might find this article interesting. The city of Cuenca, Ecuador is the “best” place in the world to retire to, according to the article. And Ecuador is number one on the International Retirement Index, whatever that’s worth.
December 27th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Well, I guess I’m lucky. I’m in one of the entertainment unions, IATSE, and have what they call a “Cadillac Plan”. It covers everything, at doctors of my choice, with very low co-pays. None-the-less, I strongly supported single payer or at least, a public option. So it looks like my plan may be taxed and my income taxes may go up to help pay for this new”reform”. I’m a Liberal, in fact, I like to call myself a Democratic Socialist. I have no problem with the tax on my plan, it costs me nothing anyway, nor do I have a problem paying a measly .45% more in income tax, as long as it helps someone less fortunate out! The insurance cartel is NOT less fortunate! So, the betrayal to folks like me is doubled. Not only did we not get what we fought so hard for, we now have to pay for something we did not want – mandates! France is starting to look really good to me.
d.
December 27th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Thinking about your post, tho, it seems to me that this is what the Neo-cons want, Liberal professionals out and low paid unskilled workers in. Someone has to raise their kids, mow their lawns, do their laundry, believe their bullshit and fight their wars. How the hell did we let it get so far out of hand?
d.
December 27th, 2009 at 11:34 am
SantaCat… Thanks for he holiday wishes.
Tom… Read the article. Interesting isn’t it. I wonder if any definitive studies of retires expatriating have been done.
December 27th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Deuddersun… Welcome to Ragebot!
I wouldn’t have any problem with my income tax rising to cover a single-payer system or even a decent public option. What I won’t cover is a set of mandates (on the insurance industry) that lack teeth because the government lacks the cojones to properly enforce them. Mandates on me? I have no doubt that the government will enforce those.
As to your second comment, don’t think I haven’t given that much thought. And, if I were 10 years younger, I’d plan more carefully and try to stick it out. Unfortunately… I’m not, and I can’t risk financial ruin because the US insists on sticking its head in the sand.