For the bills on my desk right now.
For the bills that have already cost my friends their homes.
For the ones who didn’t make it long enough to face those bills.
For the millions of people who don’t seek treatment because they aren’t even privileged enough have an insurance company to bill.
Because, while this legislation isn’t perfect, if we DON’T it only gets worse.
And because if you don’t, I’m going to look like this…
…except I’m old enough to vote.
Oh, I’m so with you. I will look alarmingly like that and I can vote, too.
And I will.
And for my mom who has a severe mental illness; who receives a pittance from Social Security (three figures a month—well, upper three figures); who lives in subsidized HUD housing owned by the nonprofit mental health organization that also provides her case management (we love Oregon!); but who happens to need dental care that she must pay for out of pocket—which stresses her out emotionally and financially.
I’m guessing that the current proposed legislation doesn’t cover dental care, but dental care is part of the big picture of routine health care and it should be covered—especially now that a link has been established between oral bacteria and heart disease. Bare minimum, annual (bi-annual? anyone? anyone?) dental hygiene should be covered, along with dental education. Right now, if you miraculously find yourself on Denti-Cal, the protocol for “needs a root canal” is extraction.
Also for my son, who has been out of work and recently received cost-free care at our local community clinic.
The current bill will help community clinics, who provide care not only for the uninsured but also for the many employed people who do not receive benefits from their employers (e.g., those in small businesses, restaurants, etc.). These community clinics rely on foundations and private donors to help them fill in the gap between government reimbursement rates and actual cost of care.
Let’s have a contest: Who can provide the highest quality medical care to the greatest number of people at the lowest cost?
.-= Kelly´s last blog ..Musical Theater Prevents Life of Crime for Pasadena’s Youth =-.
*disclaimer re the f-bomb I’m about to drop.
The healthcare reform and fight against it by so many people makes me so fucking happy I live in CANADA! Socialized medicine isn’t perfect, but God at least its something!? Will I one day not be able to get insurance because I smoked when I was 20, or had some other convenient pre-existing condition that will keep an insurer from covering me?
It honestly floors me that so many God loving conservatives refuse to help those who can’t help themselves….what happened to helping out your brothers & sisters when they needed it? What happened to lending a helping hand, so that one if one day you by chance needed a lift you could get a helping hand too. Between the insurance companies and the banks we’ve found our new Darth Vader…. Reform needs to happen! I hope it does.
.-= Karina in TO´s last blog ..KarinaInTO: Watching POTUS, having a glass of vino and waiting for my entourage to get here… =-.
Exactly and me too!! I sent another email to my, on the fence, congressman today and my husband emailed him Friday.
If he can’t vote to support the President, we have votes and we are not afraid to use them in two months when it is time for the primary.
.-= Crystal D´s last blog ..Makin’ Dough with Amelia =-.
Damn, it had just better.
.-= patois´s last blog ..The Weekly Wonderings #147 =-.
I’m fortunate to live in MA, everyone here MUST have insurance, it’s the law here! If your employer doesn’t provide it or if the cost is more than you can afford based on your wages you can get Mass Health for reasonable premiums.
We really do need to push our lawmakers into taking the baby step needed to get the ball rolling here. All citizens deserve easily accessible, affordable health care!
I can vote too!
Yes we can. Yes we did.
Maybe America’s actually growing up.
.-= Privilege of Parenting´s last blog ..Drift off and smell the jasmine =-.
Congratulations!! Its because of people like you who lobbied hard that the bill has been passed!!
.-= Roshni´s last blog ..Mamoni =-.
So well said. So simply. And so true.
.-= Molly´s last blog ..Child Hunger Ends Here – What Am I Going To Do About It? =-.
Absolutely! Thank you for working hard to get this bill passed. It’s not perfect yet, but it is a great step forward for all of us.
Cheers to you!
.-= Mark Anderson´s last blog ..Providing health insurance for your college graduate =-.