My Humble Opinion on Healthcare

Most of the time I keep my mouth shut about divisive political issues; my family and friends run the gamut from very liberal to very conservative, and for the most part nothing I say is going to change their minds and is, instead, just going to piss someone off in the long run. That being said, there are a few issues that, for one reason or another, I feel extremely strongly about. Right now, the two on the top of my list are gay marriage and healthcare. With the national debate currently raging about Obama’s “public option” I figured it was a good time to throw my hat in the ring.

Health care is a very personal issue for me; for those of you who don’t know the whole story, last year I was diagnosed with cervical adenocarcinoma (cancer). I was extremely lucky that I’d just started grad school so had pretty good health insurance provided by USC, and everything was treated with one minor surgery. If I’d gotten the diagnoses just three months before, however, it would have been an entirely different story. I was on individual payer insurance: I had an extremely high deductible and the whole system was a bureaucratic mess designed to place individual clients last in line when it came to service (In addition to the crappy coverage, in the just over two years I was with them, they raised my monthly rates from $69/month to $125/month for no reason other than that they could.)*

Why did I have this health insurance, instead of a good plan provided by my place of employment? Because I’m pursuing my dream to be a writer, so I work part time, odd jobs, and as an independent contractor, and none of these positions provide me with insurance, so it was my only option. I actually went for a period of 6 months to a year shortly after I graduated from college when I didn’t have health insurance at all. So you know all those 50 million uninsured Americans they keep talking about? Those aren’t necessarily the downtrodden, scum of society who just can’t find a job…

When I finish my master’s degree, I would like to continue to pursue my dream of writing. Under the current system, my only option for health insurance would be to again apply as an individual payer. However, because I now have a “preexisting condition” the insurance companies can refuse me service outright. And if any of them did decide they wanted to insure me, it would likely be astronomically out of my price range (even though the chances of the cancer reoccurring are very very slim.) Shouldn’t I be allowed, like all the rest of you out there, to pursue my dream career without having to worry if I can afford to go to the doctor if I’m sick, or pay for a prescription? Sign me up for this public option!

It seems to me that the entire argument against having a public option is based on fear of the unknown, especially an outdated, archaic trepidation towards the word “socialism,**” which seems to us Americans as the first fallen domino towards communism, a totalitarian regime, and the government bugging our apartments to make sure we’re not talking about them behind their backs.

OK extremists, hold up!

This is akin to saying that we shouldn’t have gun control because it’s just the first step towards taking away our second amendment rights, or that there shouldn’t be any regulations on abortion because it will inevitably lead towards the overturn of Roe v. Wade. (Oh, hey, look at that, I used an example from both sides of the political spectrum… uh oh, that means I might be a reasonable person who can see both sides of an issue!)

American’s have ALWAYS had some socialized institutions; they’re part of what makes this country great. What makes it even better, though, is that there is also always the option for the private sector to compete and offer a better product. A few examples: Public schools - Every child has the right to be educated in one of these institutions. If a parent feels they’d rather pursue a private school, that is okay too. The idea here being that, because we’re a country founded on the ideals of equality for all, every one of us should have the right to get an education that can help us achieve our highest potential. Another example: The police department. We all have the inalienable right to be protected by our government. We can also go to the private sector (private investigators) if we feel they’re not doing their job. I feel this is the right time to insert a wonderful parody video created by my friend Jonathan:

We Defeated Socialism! INSUROCORP! - watch more funny videos

Our country was founded on the idea that everyone is entitled to ”life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (or property.) It seems to me that health care is a pretty basic human right, particularly when it comes to that “life” part of the Declaration. If I don’t have access to the same health care as you because I have crappy insurance, or because I can’t afford insurance at all, doesn’t that mean I have less of a chance to pursue “life?”

To me a public option seems like a no-brainer: every American is guaranteed basic medical coverage. Of course, a vibrant private sector will always be there to compete, offering top-of-the-line products for those willing to pay. Large employers will likely keep their health insurance benefits to lure in the top employees, but small business and the self-employed don’t have to worry about paying exorbitant fees because they can not offer a large enough group to negotiate a better rate.

At this point I’ve realized I have far more to say on this subject than I ever imagined! Rather than making this piece even longer (because face it, if you’re still reading now you’re a trooper), I’m linking to a great article about the biggest myths in the healthcare debate. And since this has all been very heavy, here’s a picture of a cat to lighten the mood:

*Just to compare what you get as a private insurer vs. being part of a large group: As an individual, by the time I left the company I was paying $125/month, or $1500 per year. I had a $5000/year deductible, and 70% of my care was covered (disregarding copays for office visits.) I had a $50 copay for prescription drugs. As part of a group plan at USC, last year I paid around $950 ($1350 if you include the University’s health center fee), have a $300 deductible, 90% of my care covered, and a $25 copay for name brand prescription drugs.

** I have had some form of personal experience with the “socialized” healthcare systems in four different countries - Denmark, The Czech Republic, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Ecuador. While they varied in quality, I always walked away wondering why we didn’t have something similar in the US… If an extremely poor island nation can provide coverage for all its citizens, why can’t we? We could only do it better! If you want to hear my anecdotes about these experiences I’d be more than happy to oblige.