I recently watched a documentary on Alcatraz, its origins and early years. I was struck by the comment of one of its former inmates who was being interviewed for the documentary. "There are four basic rights in prison....the right to food, water, shelter, and medical care. Everything else was a privilege" he said.
Now as you read this, I must tell you that I am a conservative. I am not an advocate of massive social programs, and I think people should work and make their way. I do not believe in the "dole" except for that very small number of our population who are mentally or physically unable to care for themselves, HOWEVER....
I don't think anyone would quarrel with the fact that the United States is the last superpower on earth. Certainly not the only power, but the last real superpower. The only power who can, if necessary, stand alone against all others and still likely achieve its goal, whatever that may be.
We boast the strongest, largest and best equipped military on the planet, the highest per capita standard of living for our citizen's, the best opportunities to achieve one's goals, and many other "bests" and "brightests". And the most important, of course, we have the highest and best sense of personal freedoms and our citizens are most protective of those freedoms.
All those things said, this best and brightest country is not without serious internal problems which scream to be addressed. I'm not even going to mention those important issues such as terrorism with its attendant sub-problems, energy production and conservation, and the environment. I'm not even going to talk about animal rights which, for those who know me, realize that what I am going to talk about must be serious indeed for me to leave that out.
In this land of 200,000,000 plus persons, more than 45,000,000 (im no math genius but that inches up on 25%), are uninsured (and does not include any veterans because veterans are eligible for heathcare through the veterans administration). Now that doesn't mean those people are all precluded from getting their basic health care needs met, because a portion of those 45,000,000 persons are eligible for either state aid (medicaid), or federal benefits (medicare), and other assistance programs which means they can seek at least the most basic health care.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Eric Olsen
excellent job Claire - I don't know what the answer is either: I don't want to sacrifice quality of care nor remove the incentive of profit but it's a pay me now or pay me later situation that doesn't get better over time, with very real human consequences.
2 - bhw
Not to mention that, as a nation, we're overfeeding our kids and undernutritioning (??) them, and they will eventually turn into a nation of obese, lazy adults who expect drugs and other medical marvels to keep them alive. That particular cost of health care can't be ignored.
3 - Eric Olsen
I'm 100% for mandatory phys ed all the way through high school, and kicking their fat, lazy, video game-addicted asses into shape. The parents of fat, slothful kids are failing their job miserably
4 - Claire
Eric...thank you so much for your comments. There are only three alternatives:
1) Privatize universal healthcare where the "haves" pay for the "have nots", not a new concept, but everyone gets coverage.
2) Put universal healthcare into the hands of the government *shudder, which then becomes socialized medicine which is going to impact research, development, cost a fortune in administrative waste, congressional boondoggling, wasted time and effort, and will probably affect everyone's care to some extent.
3) A combination of the two where healthcare rocks along in the hands of the insurance goliaths for those who can afford the premiums (or whose employer's can), and then relax (basically remove) the strict guidelines for medicaid/medicare which means everyone who can't afford private insurance is covered. This solution will make it a two tiered health care system because there will be (as there are now) physicians who will refuse to treat "medicaid" patients.
The government WILL NOT tread too heavily on insurance companies because their lobby is probably the strongest, with the Pharmaceutical Lobby running hand in hand with it, and they all want to be re-elected. It will be the poisonous pill of politics unless it is a bipartisan decision.
A dilemma. But one which must be addressed by some of those good minds.
Claire
5 - Claire
bhw...you are absolutely right, and
"undernutritioning" (*grinning)works as a word for me. Teaching children good eating habits when they are young stick with them into adulthood. Thank you so much for commenting.
Claire
6 - Claire
Eric..the mandatory phys ed and kicking their fat lazy asses out from in front of tv's and video games is a good solution.
But then we get into the inevitable question (which is going to require another blog), with the current state of education, how do we pick phys ed over science teachers, when choices have to be made? Hmmmmm...mind already clicking here..:) Thank you again.
Claire
7 - Mark Saleski
the inactivity of kids, and our society at large, it really a tough problem to solve...since there are so many reasons for it.
heck, the very design of most of our towns literally prohibits walking to do anything. you've got to pull your butt off of the couch only to sit back down in the car just to go to the fricken 'convenience' store.
8 - Claire
Mark...*laughing and laughing...it is so true. Unless you live in urbanville like Manhattan, and then people still take taxis if they can find one...lol
Good point, and thank you so much for commenting..
Claire
9 - Mark Saleski
i never thought much about suburban design until i read Suburban Nation.
really worth checking out.
10 - Claire
Mark, I absolutely will! Thank you so much for the heads up...sounds like something I would like very much...
claire
11 - andy
Just because it's a right in prison does NOT mean it's a right everywhere else. If you're locked away, you have no way of taking care of yourself. All I can say is GET A JOB, preferably one that provides health care.
Prisoners have to many rights as it is. Did you know that they won't feed prisoners in this country MRE's? That's meals ready to eat for you non-military types. Because that's considered cruel and unusual punishment!
I did 20 in the USN, now for a measly little $115 a quarter I have health care for me and my entire family. Maybe everyone should try it. In MOST other countries around the owrld, some fomr of govt service is required by law.
I also have a job that offers a health plan, it costs more than my Retired military plan so I don't use it.
12 - andy
One more thing, most of those people getting those "4 basic rights" as you call them also lost one. The right to vote. So I guess, you win some you lose some.
13 - Claire
Andy...you seem to miss my point here. This is not about prisoners. The documentary on Alcatraz, and the statement of the former prisoner that medical care was one of his rights...gave rise to the issue that there are hardworking people throughout the country, most of whom HAVE jobs, who cannot afford healthcare. My posture is that healthcare IS a basic right, a right which many Americans do not have.
I don't think prisoners incarcerated for violent crime should have any rights..but since the law is that they are free from cruel and inhuman punishment, so be it.
I'm very happy that you have such reasonable health care premiums. I'd take a very hard look at your policy and look hard at the limits of your coverage. Especially for catastrophic illness. I would also like the name of the company so that I may praise them from the highest rooftops if it is good, affordable coverage. You are the exception not the rule. Healthcare premiums exceed 500 per month for many families who are self employed, out of work and not under COBRA, and that is cost prohibitive to most. So they do without. In addition to your private coverage, you also have the right to medical care through the VA. Others do not.
This is about healthcare, healthcare for hardworking people who cannot afford to go to the doctor, have surgery, buy prescription drugs, or seek other treatment they desperately need because there is no affordable health care coverage available to them, yet they have too many assets to qualify for state aid. The numbers grow daily...it will be 50,000,000 within a year. I'm sorry you missed the point of this. But I very much appreciate your taking the time to read and comment.
Claire
14 - andy
The policy is called Tricare, it is only available to active and retired military and their dependants. I'm not sure who it's administered by, but the coverage is good.
My point is, what makes it a right? As I remember it, the only line is, life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, nothing about health care.
15 - Claire
Andy, I am at a loss to even attempt to connect the dots on this. If you cannot see that the health of a country's citizens is not implicitly related to "life and the pursuit of happiness"...then I don't know what to say.
I would, however, give you some information you might find helpful in the future. Tricare (formerly CHAMPUS)
has had 654 complaints filed with two of fifty insurance boards/commissions throughout the United States (I can't get the numbers on others until tomorrow). There are a myriad of websites devoted to the problems with Tricare. You get what you pay for, and this link is to the first web site set up to handle the problems back in 1998....you might want to keep the url, although I hope and pray you never have to use it.
Peace,
Claire
16 - Claire
It would be nice if I gave you the link, sorry...lol
http://militarybenefits.org/
Claire
17 - andy
When you consider that tricare handles close to a million customers, if not more, I would say 654 isn't a bad ratio. And even if you multiply that 25 more times, it's still not a bad number. I'm sure that EVERY health care plan has complaints from some limited number of customers. I mean, how else can guys like John Edwards make a living? You can't please everyone.
I understand what you're saying, but I have a real problem with a welfare state. Anything that is given to the people has to be paid for by somebody and that somebody would be me.
18 - andy
Since I've retired from the USN, which was in 96, I've been lucky enough not to need any serious health care, my wife however, has had several different operations and all of it was outsourced to civilian medical centers. And I live very close to a very large Navy medical facility. One surgery, required a night in the hospital and it cost me a total of $50. I have no complaints.
19 - andy
The problem with any of those sources you may list talking about the problems with Champus and Tricare is that, as I'm sure you know, we live in a very litigeous(sp) society. People will sue for anything and everything. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I live in a military town and have many, many active and retired friends who have never had a problem with Tricare. They have always been quick to react to any need I've had in my 21 years of using the system. I say 21 because that's how long I've been married. Before I was married, the Navy took care of me. After, Champus and Tricare took care of my wife and my 2 daughters. Both my daughters were born in civilian hospitals while I was on active duty. Everything was paid for by Champus. I think my first daughter cost me 25 and my 2nd cost me about 40. She stayed in the hospital for a couple of days, a little jaundice. All the prenatal care was outsourced for both, and all the child care after was outsourced. Every once in a while I would haveot use a military hospital, but they've alwasy been good to my girls also. What can I tell you. I guess, you can't believe everything you read on the internet!
20 - Mac Diva
Claire, with the exception of career military and those injured while in the service, veterans do not necessarily get medical treatment from the government. There are plenty of veterans who do not have health coverage. Remember that our military is drawn disproportionately from low and middle-income people, those least likely to be covered. They are no better off after serving in that regard than before.
21 - Claire
Mac...Thank you so much for commenting and the information. Your information makes the situation even more heinous that it is now.
The VA told me that any veteran who had served his full tour of duty, and was honorably discharged, was eligible to be treated at any VA facility, by any VA doctor...liars! Now I'm going to shove the information you have shared in their faces...:)
Thank you so much,
Claire
22 - andy
Now you hurt my feelings. I thought you might have been sleeping or something afer you didn't comment on my last 3 posts. Did I say something that pissed you off? Or are you just "done" with me?
23 - Claire
Andy...many hugs, and of course I didn't mean to hurt your feelings...I'm just working backwards...first ones in, last ones responded to...:) I appreciated your comments very much, and am delighted that you have not had any problems with Tricare. The complaints I mentioned from just two states were within the last quarter which was all I could get, but you are right...all insurance companies have their issues. (I hate them all)...
I am very happy that your wife, and your babies were covered, and that you had minimal personal expense.
The problem is, that doesn't solve our problem does it? Most of us have not served in the military, or are dependents of active military...so we are still left with MILLIONS of people who can't get the health care they desperately need.
What do we do about it? I don't want a welfare state either, hey, I'm a republican! LOL...But there has to be an answer that won't burden the haves, but will still help the have nots. I think the insurance companies could give up a little of their profits which might be a good start...:)
Claire
24 - andy
It's ok, I don't have any feelings anyway!
Personally, I'm a registered Independant, but if I was to put myself with any particular party, I'd say I'm more of a Libertarian than anything else. I don't believe I would vote for Badnarik, just because I think GWB needs my vote to keep that liberal MA senator out of the whitehouse.
I don't know the answer to this question either. The only thing I do kow is that I don't want to pay for it.
How about this, survival of the fittest!
25 - Claire
Andy...come sit by me! You said magic words in that comment *giggling.
I don't want to pay for it either, but some is going to have to...I think it is a collective moral duty. I wish they'd let me at 'em for just a week :)
Claire