We CAN Afford This!

Read: CAN!

I decided I wasn't going to present figures for this argument.  Here's my challenge to you - if you disagree in any way, even the slightest little bit, I'm putting it on YOU to prove me wrong.  I invite you to provide documentable evidence to contradict me.

Eric Won'tor said we can't afford this health care proposal currently being discussed in the President's Health Care Summit.  That's the same as saying, I can't afford to buy my groceries at Safeway.  Well, not with the cash in my right pocket.  But if I dig into my left pocket, check book or debit card, the money's clearly there.  I don't really agree that the proposal on the table is the right one, but it's what we have to work on at the moment.

I use my state to start with.  My state spends five-big (read: $5 billion) annually through our state's department of Labor & Industries, in the payment of medical claims and fraud investigations for injuries claimed by employees to have occurred while working for their paychecks.  Time loss payments come from a different fund.

Every state has a similar department, with similar numbers, per capita.

This state generally declines most claims (not all states do, granted), forcing workers to hire a lawyer and defend their claims, costing the state even more.  Why does this happen?  Because if people get hurt playing around on Sunday and they don't have insurance, they commonly don't have any way to pay for their injuries, so they make it to work on Monday, and, oops! fall at work or some darned thing, just to get it covered.  The dance between employee and employer with these claims is extraordinary - it's not good.

There's always the argument that it costs more for the state to fight the fraudulent cases than it does to go ahead and cover them.  Tripping over a dollar to save a dime is just stupid.

If these people had some sort of automatic universal coverage, there would be no need whatsoever for the state to pay medical claims or to investigate the fraud.  This state, or any other.

Same things goes for Veteran's Administration.  The medical care component could be assumed under a national plan.  After all, if vets have automatic coverage under a national plan, what's the point of keeping the VA's medical component?

With each state contributing the dollars currently spent, the dollar savings, I would bet, would actually be substantial because you'd be eliminating duplication of services, and there would be no necessity for fraud on the individual claims level.

All the myriad of displaced workers working in 50+ state/federal departments could easily find work in the newly robust health care system.

Please read the book, The Healing of America by T.R. Reid.  It does a good job of outlining many international health care systems, public and private and variations of both.

Where am I wrong on this?  The gauntlet's on the ground.  I challenge you - let's hear it!

Update on Here We Go Again, posted Nov. 5

To those that have asked about the status of the 22 year-old who's wife had to have their pre-mature baby daughter delivered early when Mom ran into health problems:

Mom and Baby Daughter are doing remarkably well, thank you for all the good thoughts and prayers! In fact, they are due home very soon, in time for the Holidays.

As I indicated in the original story (you can read that here),  Young Father hasn't worked for his company long enough to be covered by their group insurance, nor had he amassed enough vacation or sick time to cover his time loss.

Certainly, it's hard enough what the family was going through, but to have short or no paychecks was simply kicking a guy when he was down.

Thankfully - and this is HUGE -  this company has a policy where employees can donate their unused sick time to a general fund for such.  Many companies have policies where employees can donate their time directly, as does this company.

So, Young Father is being covered for his time off to be with Mom and Baby Daughter by donation of unused sick time from co-workers directly, as well as from their corporate general fund for sick time.

For everything out there that's negative, there still remains those ever lovely silver linings.

Barbarians in the Palace

And educated people used to believe that the earth was flat and later that a lobotomy would cure mental illness.

History will understand these people for the barbarians they are.   I just wish they wouldn't bank on people not figuring them out sooner.  MOST of us already have.

Thank you to my Twitter friend, Guillaume, screen name Seriou, a tireless advocate of Progressive Values and formidable #tcot thorn.  I am proud to call you my friend.

Scratch that! Open Letter to EVERYONE

This started out as an open letter to Senator Orrin Hatch.  Then the choirs began chiming in this morning.

To declare that a "Holy War" will be waged over the proposed Quality, Affordable Health Care for All Americans, HR 3590 - the Senate Democratic proposal for Health Care Reform - is the most irresponsible, disrespectful, disastrous and despicable thing I think I've ever heard - especially coming from a heretofore respected member of the United States Senate.

I've always respected, and at times wandered or even ran into the melee, over religious "rights".  I've worked with Evangelicals and Mormons over the years, with a great degree of success in the end.

Years ago, when embarking on what turned out to be a very successful community project, we were faced with working with the local stake of the Mormon Church.  Mr. Blondetwit wasn't at all comfortable with this to begin with, and was beginning to panic.

I commented to him, "What the hell's your problem? You sound like a straight man being pushed into a gay bar!"

Mr. Blondetwit responded, "What if they try and convert us?"

Gee dear, "Just how convertible are you?"  The exchange changed his perspective permanently.

People that know who and what they are and believe can't be converted.  It's pretty simple.  Or so I thought.

I never worried much about it.  I have a significant biblical education.  I've also studied - at great length - the Koran, The Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price, the Kaballah, and a few other things.  I prefer Winnie the Pooh.  I'm only partially kidding.

For every person who's ever tried to convert me, and there's been many, it took no time to determine that their understanding of what they were proseletyzing was inferior to my own understanding.  When you don't understand it, you look the fool - not just zealous.

I used to be "there" once.  That's how I got started learning everything else.  A teenage journey gone awry you might call it.  I wanted to be able to argue my "beliefs" to anyone who came my way and would challenge me.  And I couldn't!  I mean, I couldn't even fake it!  No matter how I tried to support it, I could not. 

All of this is so similar to people who send out the endless email hoaxes...they think they know, it seems to make sense, and someone they got it from said they "checked Snopes, and it's TRUE".  Well, no, it's not.

There's a problem that arises when you can't any longer support your argument.  You must build a fortress to protect it.  A way to keep out dissent.  A community to support your common beliefs, no matter how flawed.  And the longer it goes on, the deeper the protection must get.  The harsher the rhetoric to drown out the dissent.  Any dissenters from within are handled within, until they're expelled, and then they're discredited to the outside.  For everyone thrown out, more are taken in.  It's a net gain.

Why anyone would want to possess a and espouse a philosophy so flawed, I don't quite understand.  But then again, Mr. Blondetwit has a worn out old Seattle Mariners t-shirt he won't let go of either.  I've never thought it was harmful to me, so I never made a move to eliminate it.  Same with people and their religions.  Not any more.

Some call me an atheist.  I don't.  I don't have any need to be called anything at all.  I have a quiet understanding of my place in the Universe.  You call that "faith".  Only I don't have white knuckles to go along with my faith.  I've never had the need to defend my lack of "faith".  I still don't now, because the laws of this land - currently - protect me from having to defend it.

But you people have crossed the outrage line.

As a person OF religion, you have NEVER been persecuted in this country - it's a primary factor this country is all about.  Freedom OF RELIGION guarantees your freedom from persecution.

So, what have you done with that freedom?  You've sought to eliminate my freedoms and the freedoms of others in the name of your religions.  In regards to health care, you've managed to make health care into a system that is no longer accessible by me.  It didn't use to be that way.  I used to go to the doctor and pay the bill on my way out the door.  In thousands of communities around this country, many don't realize that there are no physicians that are not captive in HMO or like entities.  If you don't belong, you can't access.  And they do not accept people with pre-existing conditions.  For all the people who are struggling with chronic diseases like Lupus, MS, etc., we didn't bring these things on ourselves. 

I won't even discuss all the other things you fight in the name of your religions.  Perhaps you should sit back, not talk and listen to your friends, but perhaps to your God.  You've drowned out the very guidance of your God with the venomous vitriol played on your radios and televisions. 

Up to this point, I've been happy to defend your religious views, but now you're dragging me into your religious actions.  And I'm not allowing you to do that any more.

From here on, I will require of you my religious friend, to know your leadership resume.  The one that chronicles your leadership within your actions.  If you're Christian, I want to know what you've done to speak out about those who murder.  Those who choose to rape this earth God gave us.  And if you're my Muslim friend, I want to know where you've spoken out in leadership against terrorists and the beliefs that lead them to find death more precious than life.  You know who you are.

Senator Hatch and all other elected leaders:  LEAD!  Not by threatening Holy War.  If you don't prevail in this health care debate, so what?  You've lost other battles, many more disastrous than this could possibly be.  But the rest of us are counting on you to do the right thing - and that doesn't involve Holy War.  If you're threatening it, it could only be for one reason - you are on the losing end of this, your argument has run out and is in threat of collapse. 

You have just tipped the final card that tells the rest of us your intentions.  I won't turn my head any more and pass you people off as well-meaning but mis-guided. 

You want a Holy War?  You're on.

Like a child, throwing a temper tantrum on their bedroom floor, surrounded by the toys they won't pick up - be prepared to lose your toys Bubba.  You wrote this script.  And you're giving 5 year old's a bad name.

Here We Go Again

It doesn't matter where you go or what you do, you can't help but run into all the folks rolling under the bus tires of this debate called Health Care Reform.

A young man, 22, married with a small daughter.  This young man, he's a wonderful worker, and a great father I understand.  Unfortunately, his pregnant wife was having problems with the latest pregnancy, and the docs had to take the baby early.  The baby is about a pound and is not doing well.  Neither is Momma.

Mother and baby are out of state at a teaching hospital and medical center for acute care.

While Congresspeople are dilly-dallying around, making inappropriate jokes and references to the Holocaust as they feel it pertains to the current debate, this young family is struggling.

Dad hasn't been employed long enough to have his health benefits yet.  This isn't the employer's decision, it's the insurer's decision.

Gee, I wonder what it's going to cost this young family - if Mom and baby survive.  And what if they don't?

Are any of those people on Capitol Hill going to come help them? 

Not With My Tax Dollars You Don't!

My Dad made a comment about this some twenty-five years ago.  I just blew him off at the time.  Interesting to think about this, especially now.

His comment was regarding tax code reform.  The talk of the day then was a flat tax.  Yep, that was a successful idea.  The interesting part was when Pops said, "The tax forms should list what you're willing to have your tax dollars pay for."

No, it wouldn't actually work, oh, for about 13,283 reasons, but the exercise is worth it, nonetheless.

Here's some ideas:

I want my tax dollars to pay for...

1. The war in (insert location here).                                    _____%

2. Nationalized Health Care                                               _____%

3.  Primary Education                                                        _____%

4. Secondary Education                                                     _____%

5. Post Secondary Education                                             _____%

6. Republican Senator's Mistresses                                    _____%

7. Subsidizing Tobacco                                                      _____%

8. Subsidizing Non-producing farms                                   _____%

9. Building a fence on the south side or Aridzona                _____%

10.  Shoring up Social Security                                          _____%

11.  Stem Cell Research                                                    _____%

12.  Junkets                                                                      _____%

13.  Studies on how much cows fart                                  _____%

14. Infrastructure for green transportation                          _____%

15.  Job development                                                       _____%

16.  Bailing out Wall Street                                               _____%

17.  Rebuild regulatory structure of financial markets         _____%

18.  Buying out mortgages from predatory lenders             _____%

19.  Paying for spay/neuters of domestic pets                    _____%

20.  Paying for RWNJ lobotomies                                    _____%

21.  Subsidize mega churches for political lobbying efforts _____%

Sorry, I should have stopped sooner, but, well, it was just kinda flowing. Stupid and otherwise. 

The point it, consider the way you would fill this out.  Ask others. 

Where do you think the chips would fall?

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

I just read that Lucy Vodden has died. She was 46. She was ill with lupus for many years, and succumbed to it's ravages.

Lucy was the inspiration for John Lennon's classic song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Read about that here.

I am 46. Gulp.

I have lupus. I don't even like to capitalize the name of it, because I don't want to give it the respect it thinks it wants. I also refuse to call it by its common, more proper name, SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus), for similar reasons. I prefer not to give it a voice at all. That said, there comes a sort of tipping-point when it's necessary to exercise the notion that "to define is to limit", and that's where I'm at right now. But I won't give it more than I have to, just to get the upper hand.

I've been struggling with the worst lupus "flare" I've dealt with in about fifteen years, since the first part of April of this year. Meh.

Catch up here for what I've been through in the past - which, by the way, is totally common to anyone with lupus. 

Lately, it's like a hellish game of whack-a-mole. For myself, I can out-stand any pain you think you've endured. There are lots of things I just can't do, right now.  Physical endurance has to overcome pain, and, well, there's limits to that.  That doesn't mean I won't get back to it, when it stops.  And it will stop...eventually.  Eventually could come tomorrow.  I thought it arrived last Saturday, but alas...oh never mind. 

Struggling to wrangle it under control is like keeping a beach ball submerged in a pool.  It's really exhausting.

My grandmother had lupus and she also lived into her 80's.  For Gram, I will endure, and sometimes wish others would have more appreciation for those who've come before us - those who've lived long, and those who haven't. Not all of us will endure to see old age. Lucy didn't, and for that I'm sad.

Lucy had Britain's National Health Service. At least one worry she didn't have: If there were complications, which I have experienced in the past, she had the ability to be taken care of. 

I don't. And that should make us all sad.

Or, mad.  As hell.

I and others work so hard to fight to be well, and there are scores of people who simply fight to put off health care for us and others.  Since we make such efforts to survive lupus (and every other "chronic disease"), why in hell can't our legislators suck it up and get us some damned health care?  I'm not sick because of a lack of health care, but I have no where to turn if I experience complications. 

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds will live forever.  The pain won't.  And neither will the legislators who can't seem to do the right thing.  Or those supporting them.

Rest in Peace Lucy.  You look beautiful in the Sky with Diamonds.

Understanding: Health Insurance IS NOT Health Care

Virtually all problems are the result of poor communication. Whether intentional or unintentional.

Today, we have virtually violent clashes in society. Much of it the result of intentional mis-communication, some of it the result of misplaced trust of poor sources. Some of it simply because the person receiving the information has little capacity to really understand - that's not their shortcoming, but the shortcoming of the rest of us, and clear evidence in many cases of a source seeking to take convenient advantage of the recipient, usually for the source's gain.

Much mis-communication comes from our lack of paying attention to how what we say is actually heard.

Earlier today I had a disgusting and frustrating series of debates with people who are absolutely convinced it's appropriate to compare apples to oranges and arrive at avocados as the end result of the equation. I suppose with the information we provide, that may be the appropriate conclusion.

My bad.

For thirty years I've encouraged others to clearly communicate. So that's what I want to do, right here, right now.

Consider this as your definitive argument regarding health care, health insurance and health insurance reform:

Health Insurance is NOT health care. Health insurance at its core, relies on risk versus reward, which equates to one thing: profit on human suffering.

It was forcefully posed to me that I must also be against car insurance, fire insurance and life insurance. Those who know me would absolutely laugh at this. I come from a long line of life insurance agents, and was one myself. I consider it one of the most important purchases for any family, or any business. Everyone WILL die. Life Insurance allows survivors to carry on without financial tragedy, etc. Car insurance is based upon any individual's ability to maintain their PRIVILEGE to drive a car. Some fail that test, and there are always alternatives to driving, and not having coverage or not being able to drive does not create a moral dilemma. Fire insurance for your home or business, same thing basically as car insurance. No one lives or dies based on an insurance company's decision to cover or not to cover.

Health Insurance, by it's very nature, the same as car insurance or fire insurance, can exist based only upon a healthy and robust business model that can attract investors, or others to be mutually insured (as in mutual insurers, not stock insurers).

By the very nature of the business model, someone, somewhere, will make a decision about a human life. Actually, about millions of human lives.

An insurer will make the decision as to who lives and who dies. That decision is for God, the Universe, or how or whatever you believe - not a pencil pusher in a cubicle.

We must permanently unlink "Health Care" and "Insurance". The two cannot co-exist in a moral model.

To accept otherwise, is simply immoral. I'm sorry if you believe otherwise, because I've just called you immoral. I don't do those things often, in fact I usually refrain from such declarations. It doesn't make you bad, just wrong, and not "there" yet. That's okay, but you need to hurry up.

I'm not certain that what's on the table now is "right". It's probably not - but it's what we've got right now, and we simply MUST move forward and correct the single most immoral issue we could possible deal with as humans.

Health Insurance is NOT Health Care. It is profit taking based on who lives and who dies. That, my friends, is immoral.

There is no other argument here. And your failure to understand that argument is now in your hands. No longer my bad.

I Was There For You

Where are you for me now?

I was reading my local newspaper this morning, and as I read the letters to the editor, I let them get to me.

One writer indicated that reform just wasn't justified. Others have said that if people don't have insurance it's their fault. Apparently, if you don't have insurance you're lazy.

Nope. Not lazy. I have a chronic illness, called Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Lupus for short. I did not get it because of poor choices in my life. I was told by two different physicians that I would not see my 35th birthday. I'm 46 today, and healthy. Very healthy. Because I take care of myself. You wouldn't know to look at me that I've suffered a massive heart attack, pneumonia more times than I can count, nephritis, massive skin sores, plurisy, on and on.

Over all the years I've known I've had this disease, what have I done?

I've helped you. I've helped you with your children. Provided for them when you couldn't, or wouldn't. Protected them - sometimes from you.

I've rescued the pets you abandoned, and sometimes the ones you abused. I've rehabilitated others so that you could have a lifelong friend - one who was totally devoted to you.

I've made sure that there were things in this community for your enjoyment. For your quality of life. And you really, really enjoyed them!

I've stood longer, argued longer, and held my breath longer, so that you could get what you needed.

Your business is here because I thought you should be able to have it. Your home is liveable because I got involved when others wouldn't.

I've stepped out and provided you opportunities you didn't have without me.

In disasters, I was there when others weren't. And I was likely sick at the time. But I was still there. And your home still stands because I was.

I've paid for your meal & I've paid for your groceries, when you couldn't.

I've made sure that the least among us had what they needed. And I've not done it nearly enough. Neither have you.

I've stood between you and "the man", when you were about to be deprived. And you weren't.

I've found myself in the most amazing situations, and I rarely tell anyone about any of it. Some who know me well, know of some of these things. Even my husband doesn't know about everything, but he knows I'll always do something that needs to be done.

I've never, ever asked you for anything. Sometimes, when you had the opportunity to thank me, or asked me what you could do for me in return, I told you, "pass it on". I hope you have. But it wasn't required. I gave to you because I love you.

But - somehow, my health care isn't justified.

It's called heartache, because it actually hurts your heart.

Why Health Care Should NOT be Tied to Employment

If we made health care an individual program, rather than tying it to your employment - things in this country would look very different.

Consider this:

Jerry's wife had a difficult pregnancy when their daughter was born, and she suffers some minor health issues as a result. They're relatively minor, but are easily manageable with the proper care. Unfortunately, their daughter, now 4, has juvenile diabetes, which can also be well managed, but only if they have the medical coverage that Jerry is provided in his job.

Jerry's a mechanical engineer, and a big dreamer. He's developed a new technology, but he can't leave his employer to go develop it and market it, because he would no longer have the medical bennies he needs for his family.

If Jerry, his wife and his child all had coverage not tied to his work, he could leave his employer, make a huge contribution to his society (make a fortune) and take care of his family with no worries. Oh, and, there would be an open position at Jerry's company...for which a huge line of people would line up for, seeing there's such a shortage of good jobs.

There's a ton of Jerry's out there.

Then there's my brother:

My sister-in-law is a teacher. She's overdue to retire by four years, but yet, she still works to provide those bennies that they can't access otherwise. She makes pretty decent money as she's been teaching for 34 years. My brother's disabled, but isn't eligible for health care benefits such as medicaid or medicare. His wife has to continue to work until they're eligible for medicare in another 7 years. Oh, and my brother is uninsurable on his own since he's declared disabled, just not disabled enough.

Suppose they each had health care having nothing to do with work. Someone else would be able to have that teaching position, thereby employing another person.

There's a ton of people like my sister-in-law out there. Thousands upon thousands of people put off retirement because of just this issue.

And here's Bob:

Bob is a retired Marine. A decorated one at that. He's been separated from his wife for almost 20 years, but they've never divorced. She has a chronic disease and has always received the best care from the VA, due to the VA benefits that extend to her as Bob's wife.

Bob won't divorce her, because she can't get that care any other way. But the woman Bob's been seeing for the last couple years - while she thinks he's a good man for always making certain to still care for his ex - would like to marry him someday...but that's out of the question. Out of the question at least, until Bob's wife dies.

There's other Bob's out there.

And Elizabeth...

I've known Elizabeth for years, and she is in the most miserable excuse for a marriage. She has MS. Some days are better than others, but mostly it's one lousy day after another - especially when it comes to her husband Mac. He works at a local mill, and has excellent benefits. She accesses those benefits constantly because of her MS. Problem is, Mack beats the hell out of her, and he always has. Well, not always, it took him a few years to ramp up to actually physically beating her. But now, she can't leave him, because she'd have no health care. But the worst situation in that house, is that their pre-teen son, Jacob, has a congenital defect, and he wouldn't be able to continue the care he's had. Elizabeth doesn't care for herself and her care, but the kids' docs are so good, she can't risk losing them for his sake.

Go ask anyone in your local abused women's shelter...there's lots of Elizabeth's out there.

And duh, (DUH!) if all of a sudden, 46 million people had instant access to health care, have you thought about the mayhem to come up with enough people to serve all of these newly covered folks? Doctors, Nurses (of all flavors), pharmacies, hospitals and medical clinics (that would need to be built) and corresponding staff...pharmaceutical companies, bedpan manufacturers, computers, air conditioning, coffee machines for all these facilities...technology, telecommunications for same, classrooms and educators to teach them....cars and mass transit for them to travel in to their work destinations...shoe and uniform manufacturers, identification lanyard manufacturers, magazines for waiting rooms on and on an on...

And...AND...how would this free up businesses in not having to deal with the disastrous effects of health care costs on them? No more mandating coverage - mandates that have been difficult to disastrous to business. Businesses could take the money they save, and actually employ more people. There's a thought. Even though many would just pocket the savings as a healthier bottom line.

Employment Crisis solved.

Health Care Crisis solved.

Technology Bank restocked.

Battered Spouse issues eased.

Well, I guess I just solved it all. Next?

PS: I've actually heard the fact that there's not enough docs and hospitals to serve that many people bandied about as a valid excuse as to why health care reform would be disastrous. Go figure.

Picture graciously provided by James Garza, a Bay Area artist. Other work from James can be seen here