Michael Moore's Sicko, gives a detailed analysis of our healthcare system in comparison to other industrialized nations, and even some not so advanced countries. "Nationalized Healthcare" is the chant used by the opposition to keep the country skeptical of a modernized and socialized system, which is practiced in countries like Britain, Canada, France and even Cuba. Long lines and reduced services are the threats that are levied to scare us from doing something about this broken system and keep profiteers making money. I was at the doctor yesterday, and there was a long line, and I saw the doctor for about five minutes. This is a private doctor, and I have very good insurance but the potential for profit and greed causes doctors to overbook cheating the patient out of time and care, turning healthcare offices into factories.
The doctor gives me a hard time filling out paper work to ensure I get paid for the time I am out, yet they have signs up saying I have to pay the co-payment promptly after being seen, and this is in a well to do community. How rude is that, even though they are definitely going to get paid by our insurance they want to make sure they take some money right out of our pockets and some even say you won’t be seen without paying the co-pay, even though we have insurance. This is definitely a broken system. Although I don’t care for doctors, because I think they often over diagnose and medicate, I had to constantly remind one of my doctors that they work for me, and to listen to what I am saying, and don’t speak medical jargon to me, I am not a doctor.
A couple of weeks back I tried a new doctor and was not happy with their service, instead of listening to what I came there about they were annoyed that I had not come with my authorization number for the insurance. I walked out, the doctor wrote me a hand written letter threatening to sue for the $30 co-payment, I threatened them right back informing them I will write to medical board, better business, and I also I knew of several people who would testify for me, this doctor had a reputation. I let the doctor know that I did not appreciate the way I was spoken to and they needed to examine their bedside manner. I don’t want to hear about doctors and paper work we all have that with our jobs, but this doctor hand wrote me a letter, probably spending more time on the letter than I spent in the office.
My company, the ones who provide this wonderful healthcare, forces me to fill out a five page dossier every time I am out sick even if it’s just for one day. They feel because they pay me they have a right to know everything in my medical records, so I have lost some privacy and something that should be between me and my doctor is now a strange four-way between me, my company, the doctor, and everyone at the insurance company. The company wants me to use my vacation days when I'm sick, but then what do I use for vacatio, or family matters. My nineteen year old daughter was promtly dropped by my employer based insurance because she decided not to be a full time college student, but work and going to school part time. She is nineteen years old with a part time job she can’t afford to buy healthcare
This is why we need Obama, not only to assist the millions left out of the system but to also give relief to those of us caught in the bureaucracy of the current system. No one should have to go through these conditions when they are not well. No one should have to worry about losing their job, or not getting the care they need, or the time to care for themselves. The world is not really going anywhere and we are all in this together so why can’t we be a little more humane. We need to move in a new direction. We already pay a great deal of taxes. What services do we really get for that. A drivers lisence, dont we pay for that? A bridge or tunnel, don"t we pay a toll? The post office, don't we still pay for shipping and postage. What services do we get for all the taxes we pay. Politicians go to Washington every year saying they are going to make things better, but yet they always manage to stay the same.
The free market is good for electronics and clothing, but not for our healthcare or education. I consider medicine to be like teaching, your in it because you want to help people not get rich. I am not saying doctors shouldn't have a decent life, but why should their expectations be to live extravagantly. I agree with Obama, most diseases are lifestyle based so there absolutely needs to be a focus on preventive medicine. Gym memberships and nutritionists should be covered by our healthcare system. I you take yoga or some sort of destressor then that should be covered. Stress is the number one killer, the source of many diseases.
We also need to talk about our food and agriculture markets, the contaminants that are used when growing and processing our foods. There has to be a way to bring down the cost of organic foods, maybe if we demand everything is grown that way. Farmers should be subsidized by the government but that money should only go to hiring the employees needed to maintain the farm..the farmer is going to make a profit on their goods. Yes, I said it working on a farm should be a government job....they are providing a service to the country..maybe offering $10-12/hr, and healthcare--it is hard work, then farmers can pay a decent wage and eliminate the need for migrant workers.
I am not saying I have the answers or that even Barack does, but I know he will try his best to reform the healthcare system. He will find a solution that benefits the American worker because he is representing the people and not the insurance, and pharmaceutical companies. He is there to be our voices, not special interest. He is our lobbyist, and a darn good one. Using his campaign and previous achievements as the example I am confident he can handle the job and will be better at it than John McCain who has been in Washington for 26 years and hasn't accomplished one significant thing.
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