The Word on the Street
Posted by Deutlich on January 12th, 2010 | Filed under: UncategorizedSo, you may have heard that the government of the U.S. is in a mad dash to get the health care system reformed. For the two of you who are still in the dark, Obama has been pressing Congress to hammer out a deal that fixes the absolute shit-can of a health system we currently have.
It’s a noble idea, really, but the question is: will it work?
Better yet, how much more money are we going to lose by doing this? Because let’s face it, we sure do like to fuck up some legislation.
The thing is, I feel pretty versed on the 2,000+ page document given that I’ve been releasing work-related updates on it at every turn.
It goes without saying that we need to overhaul health care. Insurance companies have become such greedy dick nuggets that WAY too many of us are getting inadequate health care or none at all. Don’t even get me started on the lives that have been ruined from outrageous hospital bills.
And frankly? It’s just a little ridiculous that the U.S. population has a lower life expectancy than other countries just because we can’t get our shit together. America needs to do a better job of taking care of the people living within its borders. And by that, I don’t mean the government should be hand-holding every citizen, but it shouldn’t forget that those are the folks bleeding tax dollars back into the land. Actually, don’t even get me started on taxes…
With that said, I do not want another damn “hand out.” I don’t want a quick band-aid to sort’ve make things look like they might help. It’s freaking me the hell out that we’re still just throwing away money at a rate that is so vast that I can’t even begin to conceptualize it.
Stuff like this always begins with the noblest of intentions and then we have to deal with several years of bullshit while all the details are properly ironed out. That’s not a reason to hesitate with reforming a system that’s in desperate need of a facelift. It is, however, something we should be paying a little more attention to given our economic environment.
So, here’s three cheers to decent health care reform. Let’s hope the government doesn’t fuck it up.
January 12th, 2010 at 9:30 am
Fingers crossed! I have to say that truly, if they started by just passing a bill that prohibits discrimination by insurance companies based on pre-existing conditions, I’d already be thrilled. Baby steps!
Totally agreed.
January 12th, 2010 at 9:45 am
Cheers!
but yeah, Im sure its going to get fucked up somewhere down the line
I’m about 99.9% sure of that too. But hey. Maybe we’re wrong?
January 12th, 2010 at 9:47 am
Four cheers!
And may the landing be soft.
Truth.
January 12th, 2010 at 9:48 am
I know that my health care problems aren’t nearly as bad as other people’s, but this is the first time I’ve ever really personally been affected. I just got a lovely letter from my insurance company, claiming that the meds prescribed by my doctor aren’t “medically necessary.” I’m sorry, when did that become their decision?
I think the health care industry has its head so far up its own ass that it can’t even begin to see straight anymore. I *hate* that they have SO much power.
January 12th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Yeah, I hear you. When you’re one of the richest countries in the world and you’ve got how many millions of people without health insurance, something’s wrong! However, I’m always skeptical when the government says it’ll fix everything. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no libertarian; I believe the government should step in within reason on certain issues.
I hope we get health care reform, but I’m not expecting any miracles.
That is pretty much exactly how I feel about the whole thing.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:10 am
I’d love to think they could get right the first time around, but this girl isn’t going to hold her breath. I just hope at some point we can all be taken care of properly. It shouldn’t be this hard and no one should have to worry about inexpensive access to medical care in a country with as much wealth as ours. If the powers-that-be don’t buck up, I’m strongly considering a move to Denmark. Yeah, I saw that episode of Oprah. Those Danes are doing it up right!
I’m definitely not holding my breath either. And I long ago stopped saying I’d move back to Germany simply because I am SO accustom to America that I’m not so sure I’d make it through the switch. But that’s why I vote. So I can bitch about things later.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:10 am
I kind of feel like, yes, Health Care reform is important.
On the other hand, we’ve got troops in Iraq, troops in Afghanistan, and a huge financial crisis.
Maybe health care could’ve waited until the 2nd term?
Maybe.. except for the part where we knew he’d try to reform health care. It was on his list of priorities – something he campaigned for. So I’m having a hard time being TOO upset because I did vote for him knowing this was part of his platform. With that said, we don’t have a whole lot of options when we DO get to vote for president and I feel like no matter who we vote for, they’ll inevitably do something we don’t agree with…even if we did want them in office.
January 12th, 2010 at 1:36 pm
From a German point of view: Health care system here is quite good (it has become a two-class system, depending on whether you have state insurance or private insurance, but the state system is still fairly good)- but believe me, there are LOADS of other things to bitch about Germany and the Germans! Btw just coming back from elective surgery in the US, (got my eyes fixed with Lasik in Alexandria), – it’s cheaper compared to Germany. But more due to the $/Euro exchange rate.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
I really hate that the Canadians are just laughing at us regarding this issue – I hate being mocked by Canucks.
The most substantively lacking element of this bill is that the Senate version (as you know, that is the most likely to be passed) leaves the insurance industry’s anti-trust exemption intact. Seriously? Are they joking?
January 12th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
definite cheers here!
but I thought the newly reformed plan has completely changed the point of the original plan (whatever that was, I have forgotten by now). I’m just worried about any hidden stipulations that may pop up, whenever it’s finally approved.
furthermore, I really don’t get the opposition to providing health care to every living human being. I mean, really.
January 12th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
ahem!
January 12th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
omg…clearly I meant to say amen!
January 12th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
God I hope we don’t fuck it up either. I’m worried we will but I’m really hoping this will be positive. I can’t believe how out of control our health care is here.
January 12th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
You said it lady. Couldn’t agree more with you.
January 13th, 2010 at 8:48 am
To be honest, I don’t know exactly what the healthcare reform entails. But I know enough of some of my bloggy friends’ lives that I know that something needs to change!
See, back here in the UK, I can phone up my doctor and get an appointment to see them and then get drugs I need. All for the cost of £5. How much would that cost in the US? Fairenough, UK’s got it’s own problems, but at least we can say that every single person has access to healthcare.
But you’re right, quick fixes don’t work. What governments need to do is go for the overhaul, something for the longer term. Longer lasting changes that help the population as a whole.
xx
January 13th, 2010 at 11:35 am
I’m with you – I really hope they don’t F it up. I’m afraid they are though. I just keep telling myself that it has to be an improvement from what we have. Right? Maybe it’ll just be a bunch of small reforms instead of one big reform.
January 13th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Yeah…This situation is dire, important and complicated at the same time. Too much time is wasted battling and arguing over semantics, political persuasions or biases, and many other things to long to list.
The bottom line is that reform is seriously and urgently needed. I have friends who are suffering from the plight of exorbitant insurance premiums, devastating hospital bills and p*ss-poor health care.
It’s quite sad actually. And we’re here in the “number one” country of the world.
January 13th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
I know a lot of people don’t agree, but I’m willing to take the hit, to pay a bit more, if it means broader coverage. It’s not like leaving millions upon millions of people uninsured is a cost-effective alternative.
January 15th, 2010 at 10:58 am
I think you’ve summed up my feelings on this. We need this. I don’t think anyone can disagree with it. However, my concern is HOW it gets done.
I also know that the first version of this reform will not be the final version as there will be steps taken after this to make it better (at least that is my hope) because we rarely (if ever) get things right on the first try.
I just hope we have a President and a Congress that will admit when something isn’t working that they created (unlike Bush Jr.).
January 15th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
I’m a fan of the Ted Kennedy approach – you’ve got to start somewhere. Make deals, even compromise if you have to, but getting it started makes it easier to eventually get it done. Here we go.