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« It is Good to Remember | Main | Monkhouse Mondays: Cloud 9 (Wolke 9) »
October 17, 2008 |Permalink |Comments (4)
PowerUp Friday: Health Care Meltdown
With the recent economic crisis looming, one thing is fairly certain: the U.S. will not be doing anything to deal with our dismal system of health care coverage anytime soon. Just a quick listen to the two candidates spouting the same vague platitudes about tax credits or patchwork insurance solutions is one indication. Another is a recent poll here in Rochester that ranks health care issues very low on the list of voter concerns this fall.
The two parties continue to refuse to take on the insurance conglomerates which perpetuate our inequities, and fail to address government solutions, lest they fall prey to being tarred with the "s" word. Meanwhile the rolls of uninsured and underinsured continue to rise, and the Blues are predicting yet another double-digit rate increase for 2009.
A recent Medscape post from George Lundberg, MD reports that America ranked dead last of 17 developed countries in a recent assessment of overall health outcomes, a result felt to be due in part to our lack of universal coverage. Of course, universal coverage would require some adjustment in our culture of "a pill for every symptom", our tendency to avoid serious cost controls on diagnoses and drugs, and our refusal to embrace low cost and preventive alternatives to high tech intervention.
There continue to be "two Americas", and health care continues to be a privilege that millions cannot afford. This can't end well.
--Al Power
Comments ( 4)
It continues to amaze me that the "s" word you mention is so scary to so many when it comes to health insurance. I can't help but wonder who those who are so frightened of the government having any say in health care coverage decisions assume is making decisions about their health care now? As a refugee from a brief stint working for a managed care company in a past life, I can say with confidence that it scares me far more to have coverage decisions in the hands of people whose giant end of year bonuses depend on the ratio of claims they successfully deny! Anyone who truly believes doctors are the decision-makers now should spend a few months in the inner workings of an insurance company for a dose of reality. It is far scarier than socialized medicine could ever be in my book....
Posted by
Rkadonoff
![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.umbc.edu/blogs/changingaging/nav-commenters.gif)
October 17, 2008 5:59 PM
I so agree w/Ruta! What is so bad about socialized healthcare? Those opposed often reference Britain or Canada as the dreaded alternative. Sure, neither are perfect, but are in my opinion a giant leap ahead of our woefully inadequate system.
Posted by
CC Andrews
October 21, 2008 4:47 AM
It is amazing to see how the "s" word can be used as a political killer weapon with no need for any substance of thought. During the last presidential debates, Sen. McCain accused Sen. Obama of favoring a "socialistic economic approach by supporting tax cuts and tax credits". I just want to know, since when are tax cuts associated with socialism? Wrong party, Senator!
I listened to a radio program today about a recent proposal from the Irish Prime Minister to eliminate free medical cards to Irish retirees in their 70's, in an attempt to balance the budget. The offices received such a storm of protest that one week later they are planning radical modifications to the original proposal.
It was a joy to hear the lilting brogue of hundreds of Irish pensioners singing "We Shall Overcome!" Cass Naugle