I am tired of waiting. Aren't you? We elect these new faces, and sometimes old faces, every two or four years expecting change. And all we seem to get is more of the same.
I am getting antsy. Restless. Angry. It all seems to be a joke at times. And the joke is on us.
I mean, lets start with healthcare. We have known that it stinks for a very long time. We know that managed care is really only about managed profits. In this great country of ours, with world-renowned hospitals, many do not have access. Or if they do, they have to pay out of pocket and many are forced to have fund-raisers to raise enough money to have special surgery or a bone marrow transplant for their child. If I see one more collection can at a store, I think I will go mad. It is truly maddening.
So, what is next? Oh, yes, the much anticipated televised debate about healthcare. This is bogus. It is all about the Republicans and the Democrats trying to show off their stuff. What have we become? This is like American Idol, except we cannot phone in our vote. I wish it were more like the Gong Show (remember that?) as I would love to hit a big gong with a huge mallet and say, "See ya".
I just don't get it. With millions uninsured, plus millions more who are paying ridiculously priced premiums and having many claims denied, how much longer can we possibly wait for some modicum of common sense to appear? Has profit really gotten in the way of what is right? And why is healthcare for profit anyway? Has anyone ever really answered that question? Do we as Americans really want this anymore? Do we have a choice? It seems that these questions often remain unanswered.
So, what can we do but wait. Wait and see. In the meantime, premiums are going up, hospitals are decreasing staff, nurse to patient ratios are climbing, co-pays are increasing and medical mistakes are on the rise. I see insurance benefits changing suddenly and without proper notification, hospital stays shortened and more patients in ERs because MDs direct you there.
I know what President Obama's answer would be; "We tried to have a healthcare bill, but the Republicans killed it". Well, no offense, but your healthcare bill stunk. Not very impressive for a whole year's worth of work.
Make some simple changes now that can help. Small, simple changes that have a huge impact.
First, allow Medicare to be purchased at a reduced rate early. No pre-existing conditions. Allow all children to be covered by Medicaid if they have no insurance.
Increase reimbursement to Primary Care MDs. We have less of them so more people are directed to to the extremely expensive ER for care. Start having reimbursement for patients to see a free-standing Nurse Practitioner in lieu of an MD. Currently, they can only be reimbursed if they are affiliated with a physician group. Imagine if we could have offices with just nurses who could triage you and send you to the MD only if needed. You trust our care when you are really sick and in the hospital, why not before then? This is a low cost solution that would be of great, I mean really great, benefit to all. Except of course, the profiteers, which is why it is not a consideration.
Our government has two really good healthcare programs already. And they both cover the sickest populations fairly effectively. Many of the uninsured are people who are young and seemingly healthy, who think they will never get sick. Allow them to buy into some type of catastrophic healthcare plan so they won't be forced to go broke if they do indeed get ill.
But, anyway, I could go on and on and what for? No one really listens anyway.
I think the best we can do is take really, really good care of ourselves and hope that we can stave off any illness. That would start with finally exercising more, getting some good sleep, taking a vitamin daily, drinking more water, eating food that our Grandmother would recognize, and trying to decrease our stress.
The best hands to place ourselves in are our own. It will make us healthier and give us something to do while we wait.
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