G-d? Civil service? Living in America? Luck of the draw? Take your choice, but there for the grace of anything you wish to count, I am covered for much of my medical costs. Yet the part that is not covered amounts to quite a large amount, staggering when added up for taxes or simply for the satisfaction of one's soul and mind!
One of the worst things the Republicans have done is to sabotage the ACA. It covered people who had never been covered before, who never had the treatment needed to prevent even worse things and taught the young that bodies can turn on a dime, suddenly destroying one's life and plans and certainly bank account! A simple overnite in a hospital can run to thousands of dollars and that is only the beginning.
So why the anger from the Trumpers? Simple. They screamed about big government costs, never thinking ahead with their tiny warped minds that an ounce of prevention - well you know the rest. In addition, the costs are horrendous for the uninsured and guess who has to pay through the nose for that? So that whole argument is a crock!
Besides, these congressmen voting for no ACA are pretty damn selfish and smug because they have a gold plated health care plan that covers them for life even as they get their huge pensions for life along with myriad other 'blessings'. And as for the rest of us, the rest of their constituents out there in flyover country, the small time farmers losing grants, losing workers to harvest their crops, who are physically strained and aching, who could not get insurance as they and many others with a pre existing condition were denied coverage - well, who screwed them royal now!!
Truth time. If not for Medicare and the insurance coverage we had and have, it is simple indeed. I. Would. Be. Dead. Yes, we all eventually reach that point, but perhaps with proper medical care people would live longer, share joys of family life longer, have a possibility of contributing to society longer, simply be allowed to function longer despite the fact that they might not have the money for private rip off plans that cost a lot and cover basically nothing but perhaps the tenth sneeze in a row on the second Tuesday of the sixth week of the thirteenth month of the year. And that is only if you have full documentation!
Again, so why this shrieking and groaning and putting on of sackcloth when ACA is mentioned. Yes, perhaps some policies will cost a bit more but think of what is covered and then sign the damn check. Think of those who will benefit from increased and better health care as well as the increased benefit to the country as long term care costs will be cut and productivity will rise.
Perhaps if we concentrated on this, we would be less focused on the lies of Trump, of Giuliani, of the entire administration as we would have other things to be concerned about, such as the climate, the environment, the needs of people throughout the world and right here in America, better neighbor policies, inter global trading and commerce, knowledge sharing, a future for our kids and maybe just maybe, a finish to this rippling bigotry that is taking over the world again. Perhaps. But in the meanwhile, I have to figure out how a medicine I have been using suddenly was dropped from a formulary, never mind the fact that it was working better than any other prior medicine - and how am I to pay for it now? I have to add up the costs of physical rehab that will keep me going, the costs of peripheral treatments such as massage for muscles now quivering and refusing to obey orders due to the effects of PD? I have to try to understand the thinking of bureaucrats with golden plans who decide that my chronic condition which needs chronic help is simply not worth being covered. I do not mind having to watch the pennies and the dollars and be careful in my spending so I will have those pennies and dollars to pay for it myself. I will sacrifice meals out and new clothes and discretionary free spending but dang it all, a little more understanding of the needs of people with chronic conditions that will never be cured - at least not yet - but can be managed or somewhat delayed with proper and continuous treatment.
And remember, I am only one of millions who are in this situation or even worse. It is easy to say tsk tsk and tell people to suck it up - particularly if you or a loved one is lucky enough to be covered with your gold plan, but when it strikes you or yours, or coverage is removed due to the situation, well, then you might sing to another tune and do a different dance.
We have a humanitarian crisis, oh yes we do, but it is not the one that was ginned up by the orange man at the border even as the numbers were falling. If the people responsible for the planning and policies were actually to grow up and talk as adults should talk, we could find the energy and the ways to fix our health crisis, our education crisis, our ugly prejudice problem and become a healthier world in every aspect.
Wishful thinking? Unrealistic thinking? Perhaps. But necessary thinking? Oh, yes, indeed. This country has been a miracle from its Revolutionary War though the centuries and has stood for the right, for the constant march towards progress and justice. Why have we forsaken that now? Dammit - where is that doll now? Who was smacking it last? Got it! SLAM!!!!!
Could we not try to slam through a home run with proper legislation and mature Congressmen and women and a whole lot of growing up?
Sigh! SLAM!! SLAM!! SLAM!!
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