My husband and I are not as fortunate as some, but luckier than many. The Law of Relativity exists everywhere I suppose. Our problem is that we went from living the American Dream (literally) to living an American Nightmare in a relatively short time. Thankfully we have our health, each other, a home, small business and sixty acres of absolutely gorgeous land. Our children, now young adults on their own, are doing well. We own everything outright, but worked hard and smart to earn what we have. We used to have six other employees. Afta NAFTA & CAFTA kicked in a "new economy", we had to let them all go. Other particularly important issues for us (besides healthcare) are ending the pre-emptive Invasion of Iraq, protecting our environment & education, reforming election laws and campaign financing.
Most importantly, what we don't have any longer is health insurance, and the effect has been devastating to us personally. It may become even more devastating in the not-too-distant future. We feel terrorized, daily. It's hard to sleep, work, relax, or do anything (and enjoy it) anymore because we're now living in constant fear. Everything we have worked for our entire lives, including our lives, is now at risk....with no end in sight. We're not nearly 65 and "they" are trying to destroy the protection Medicare might offer eventually, if we can make it that long and "they" don't win and kill us first.
It doesn't matter that we paid through the nose for coverage the entire 30 years while we were young, healthy and didn't need it. "They" told us we had to pay so much because we were paying for other people in our "risk group" who weren't as healthy (so, the theory went, later if and when we needed it, others would help pay for us). We were SO naive. We found out hundreds of thousands of dollars too late that you're not allowed to stay in or join an (aptly named) "risk group" if you become "risky"...and own or work for a small employer, or a large one who won't back you up if you or a family member get sick, are in an accident, etc.... at least not in Illinois (run entirely by Democrats). What I have learned would fill volumes.
Hardly anyone thinks it can happen to them. We certainly didn't. No one sees it coming, but almost every single one of us is just one accident, illness, job change, divorce or death of a spouse away from joining 47 million other uninsured Americans. After his accident, even actor Christopher Reeves found himself cut off by the insurance company his grandfather co-founded. A very Republican local doctor was in an accident but still found out the same thing, as did a local and very Democratic hospital CEO who never believed he would be downsized out of his job along with the health coverage that went along with it. Insurers only discriminate against you if you need health care and don't have the protection of a large employer. Over 90% of our newly uninsured 2.2 million earn over the median household income, and more than one third of the total do too. The problem is not enough Americans understand or want to believe the awful truth because it is harsh and hard to comprehend.
But like I said, we're the lucky ones.
Mik and Liz: Our friends own a small business and have paid for their and a portion of their ten employees' health coverage for years. Health insurance is expensive, about $12,000 per family. What choice do they have? Before, not much. Now, none. Their teen-aged daughter was diagnosed with a very (thankfully) curable form of leukemia. They were singled out and rated up from their own "risk group" to $46,000 per year...or their daughter dies, they go bankrupt, lose their business, or all of the above. I saw recently that leukemia costs "at the most" $600,000. Wonder what rates their insurer negotiated with care providers for this child's treatment? They sure didn't negotiate premiums with the insured, but rather dictated them at that point. Studies show insurers pay only small percentages of the "real" (whatever that means) price for the same goods and services. (Remember, everything is relative). What happens to this girl (and her "personal" medical records) when she reaches adulthood and becomes responsible for her own health insurance coverage? What insurer would take on such a "loser"? Plus, no raises for Mik, Liz or any of their employees for quite a few years; no new equipment purchases or technology for awhile; no retirement savings or additions to college funds, no matter how hard everyone works, just so we can keep our profit-driven health insurance CEO's walking away with billions of our healthcare dollars. What happens if one more family member or person working for them falls ill with anything?
Richard: The first time I met Richard was at his brother's home. He had a huge growth covering half of the bottom of his face. His brother told me Richard did not want to go out in public any more, and was beginning to have a hard time swallowing. If I was experiencing shock and disbelief (and I was), imagine how Richard was feeling. Richard worked full-time as a bus driver for a small employer who did not offer (could not afford?) health insurance coverage for employees. When a small lump developed on Richard's cheek, he took extra money he did not have to see a doctor who told him the lump was benign but he should have it removed. The cost would be $1500. Richard didn't have $1500 and did not anticipate having it in the near future, so he did not get the lump removed. Afterwards things got nasty. By the time we found a surgeon who would take care of Richard, his operation required over eight intensive hours. He was left disfigured, his face paralized, and he had to have all of his teeth removed in preparation for radiation and chemotherapy to come. The small harmless lump had turned into a cancerous tumor. After becoming totally disabled, Medicare finally kicked in to pay for the nursing home bills so Richard could live out the rest of his shortened life in preventable pain and hopeless helplessness. Plus, just for icing on this "let them eat cake" attitude, his misery cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars (instead of $1500) and the life of an innocent, kind, gentle, decent and productive soul...and an inexplicable dearth of human compassion and decency. He died at age 56. He was loved.
Unknown Uninsured Involuntary Soldier (whose privacy is protected from us but not the health insurers who denied him): I did not personally know this 38-year-old husband and father of two young children. After the man's life could not be saved in the ER following a heart attack , his wife told my friend (the ER doctor) that her husband "would not see a doctor for his chest pains because they did not have health insurance". He was a self-employed contractor, the sole provider for his family, and he died an early and probably preventable death...because he did not work for the government or a large employer, and needed care but couldn't get it.
Yes, we're the lucky ones.
With true stories like this, who needs to make anything up? For all of you who believe, "We can fix this incrementally" I say, "That would be great if it weren't costing us tens if not hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, millions of unnecessary disablings and bankruptcies, and hundreds of billions of wasted dollars spent on desperately needed health care (but not delivered) in the meantime". 47 million of us are fighting for our lives out here, and we're in a bit more of a hurry than the "critical masses". I heard a young girl lament that "18 American soldiers lost their lives in Iraq since last Friday". That is horrible and needs to stop, but at least 350 involuntary Americans also lost their lives right here due to lack of health insurance during the same period. That needs to change too. The Invasion of Iraq is costing us at least $100 billion annually, and profit-driven health insurers at least $350 billion. Also I think the italics command is not working properly but that's OK.
Happy Halloween!