It’s stupefying to think that in our first world country those who need healthcare the most (i.e. people who are actually sick) often can’t get it because no insurance company will insure them! And, on top of that, we now have the ability through genetic testing to find out if we are at more at risk to BE sick in the future. From a medical standpoint this is huge since then preventative measure can be taken to, well, prevent these ailments from occurring. Who wouldn’t want to get this testing done? It could save your life! But, here’s the catch, now the insurance companies ALSO know that you have a greater risk of getting sick than the lady sitting next to you and they just may refuse to cover you. It’s freaking insane! Fortunately, the senate has passed an Act today that will ban genetic discrimination. So, your health plan can’t deny you coverage or boost your rates based on your genetic profile. Oh, and your employer can’t fire you because of it either. The House is expected to approve the legislation next week and even President Bush seems to be on board. Finally, something sane to come out of Washington! Though in the long run, a lot more than this will need to change.
Seriously here people, I’m all for capitalism but I have to agree with the commentators, bloggers, and Europeans who are starting to call America “the richest third world country in the world!” We are ranked 42nd in life expectancy, our babies are more likely to die in the first year of their life than if they lived in Cuba, and, this just came out this week, life expectancy has actually dropped for some US women for the first time since the freaking influenza in 1918 infected 25% of the world’s population! Something is horrifically, horrifically wrong here. Perhaps we need to stop treating medical care as a perk for well-off Americans but as necessary a public service as a well-run police force and fire brigade!
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2 comments:
I would tend to agree. At the same time, I'm not sure if a government ran health care system is the way to do (just look at how the government ruins whatever it touches - red tape and all). The one system that makes sense to me is not-for-profit health care.
This mean while health care stays in the private market, the companies running it are focused on helping people vs pleasing their stock holders. In some ways, its a throw back to the early days when the medical industry was focused on saving lives. Cost should in turn drop as companies change their vision and focus. If I remember correctly, there are already some hospitals and groups doing this with great success.
The sad part is that it doesn't look like anything is going to change soon... even if the demos win the white house.. shoot they won congress and have done nothing! *sigh*
fyi - here's a great article about the USA health care:
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=health_reform_you_shouldnt_believe_in
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