Health Care Reform or Giant Pile of Crud. You Decide.

Have you been wondering where you could get a copy of the Healthcare Reform bill so you can find out what is in it? Well, you’re in luck! Here is the link to the (so far) 614 page bill.

My favorite part so far is on page 382. It’s called “Creating Healthier Communities”. That sounds wonderful doesn’t it? That’s what we all desire for our communities.  If you read through this section there are lots of interesting things. On page 397 in talking about immunizations it states:

‘‘(D) carrying out immunization-promoting strategies for participants or clients of public programs, including assessments of immunization status, referrals to health care providers, education, provision of on-site immunizations, or incentives for immunization; (wonder what kind?)

‘‘(E) providing for home visits that promote immunization through education, assessments of need, referrals, provision of immunizations, or other services; (Home visits? Are they going to pressure us to get immunizations? What if we have religious or other objections?)

Moving on down to page 399 we find

NUTRITION LABELING OF STANDARD MENU ITEMS AT CHAIN RESTAURANTS AND OF ARTICLES OF FOOD SOLD FROM VENDING MACHINES.

This section goes into the amazing lengths that the above entities will have to go to so that we will be “informed” about everything we are eating. It even requires vending machines to have signage either on the machine or next to it clearly stating the nutritional value of the food it sells. Personally, I feel if you are eating from a vending machine, you’re not all that concerned about nutrition. I’m just sayin’.

Now all of the above may turn out to be perfectly fine and wonderful. The problem is that if you read through this bill it says over and over and over that funding is needed for the feds and funding is needed for the states and funding is needed for the cities. Department after department needs to be created to administer the huge numbers of programs this bill covers.

My main question is where in the name of all that is logical and sane is this money going to come from???

I encourage you to read at least part of this bill. And, as I keep saying, contact your Congresspeople, e-mail President Obama. Heck I’d even get in touch with Nancy Pelosi to let her know what I think.

In numbers there are strength. We live in a democracy so let’s use our freedom to make our opinions known. Today.

Comments

[WidneyWoman]

Coming from Canada, I can tell you federal health insurance is a Godsend. When I moved to America, my first job was in collections for a hospital. I remember crying at night because a family was going to lose their home all because their innocent little 3-yr old had cancer and the hospital bill in just 2 months was over $100,000. That doesn't happen in Canada. Although 'free', our healthcare system is excellent.

A number of years ago, the father of my childhood friend was extremely ill in hospital. She said there were 5 doctors standing around his bed, consulting. 3 of whom were the top in their respective fields. She was so happy that in Canada, you get the best doctors based on your case need and not your financial ability to pay.

We do have the 'in-home' care you referred to in your post. But that is for those at high-risk. For example, the healthy babies programs identifies those babies who may be at risk: a pregnant teenager or in a low-income situation. Mom and baby will receive scheduled home visits from a nurse who will evaluate the child and mom and provide formula, diapers, and arrange for any other support or community referrals needed. If you are not in this group, no one goes to your home.

The 'in-home' immunizations are great for the elderly or infirm, especially in remote areas. These groups may not have their own transportation to get to a doctor or clinic for a flu shot. This is not designed to force immunization on children whose parents do not want their kids immunized. My experience with the American school system is such that you can't send your child to school without being immunized. You hear of 'waivers' but no one I know of has gotten a waiver. I believe the waiver to be code for 'homeschooling'.

As great and wonderful as America is (and please know I do love this land), it is woefully behind the times in some areas. Part of the problem is the sheer numbers of people. I remember when Canada switched over to the metric system in the 70's. The whole world is metric but America is not. Why? Was it the expense to convert with so many people? It's almost 40 years later and America is still using the Imperial system. Metric, baby, metric!!

Any change is hard at first, but once it is over and done with, it's over and done with. Canada has universal healthcare but is not a communist country. Universal healthcare will not turn America into a socialist state. There are so many working poor in this country. People who work their butts off to make it and just barely do. One large medical bill and they will be screwed. How is it bad to not offer universal healthcare to these people? They are the ones that don't have healthcare.

The people who are on welfare now have healthcare. It's not like we would be spending any more money to support them than we already are. It's the people like my husband and I and our kids who went without healthcare last year when my husband was laid off from his job.

Or my husband's cousin who found out she was pregnant after her husband, the primary breadwinner, lost his job. Either they pay almost $500/mth in COBRA (now 40% less thanks to Obama's stimulus package), or go without prenatal care and face a huge bill for the delivery because if he does find work, she will then have had a pre-existing condition and not be eligible for his company's healthcare coverage of the delivery.

Healthcare is a big business in America. There is so much financial gain and abuse. I'm not saying Canada doesn't have any corruption in healthcare. It's everywhere. However, sickness is big business in this country. Cancer is a cash cow. I've been on the $400,000 yacht of a cancer doctor. I can tell you, cancer pays well. I believe the major opposition comes from those who know their extravagant lifestyle could be curtailed. Understandably so. But what is the greater good? Saving lives or saving your yacht?

It's time America got on the bandwagon and provides universal health care to its citizens, especially the hard working ones who can't afford it now.

[Lori]

Thanks for the Canadian perspective Simone. I'm not against Healthcare Reform just the way they are going at it at this point in time. (I am uninsurable so believe me, I'm all for gettin' some help!) I feel that if they keep throwing in extra stuff like the vending machine crap, it's going to kill the small business owners and drown everyone in a bureaucragic swamp that's going to end up costing gazillions of dollars.

I also don't like what I am reading in the bills when it things like the examples I put above. The language is too vague. I want assurance that the gov't won't be forcing things on me. There is a section about doing all sorts of testing on those aged 50-65 but no mention of what happens when you hit 66. Do you not get help in the same measure you did when you were younger? I couldn't find anything in the bill that addressed that.

Overall, I really do want something to happen but I don't want Congress to rush a huge bill through that turns out to cost us enourmously as a nation not only financially, but also invades our right to choose treatment options no matter what our age or physical state.