see, for once in my life i am on the brink of being one of the uninsured. amazing that it takes this to happen for my eyes to be opened. see, its this reason why we don't have universal health care. because not enough people are in the position to be loosing health insurance.. or, re: not enough with pull.
in 16 months i won't have health insurance, if i continue on as i am. i don't qualify because of my pre-existing depression condition. and i won't qualify for the oregon health plan because my income will be too high, by 200 dollars. and my income is not a lot.
so, i'm screwed.
so, all of you out there with health insurance, thank your lucky-fucking-stars. all of you out there who don't depend on your doctor for what feels like each breath as each week goes by thank your lucky-fucking-stars. all of you out there who don't have to have 300.00 worth of medication to stay alive each month thank your lucky-fucking-stars. all of you out there who have enough money to pay even if you don't have health insurance just hope you don't leave the temporary-abled category and end up in my shoes... and then your mind might very well fucking change about universal health care.
until then all of us are screwed because you can't get your privilaged, temporarily healthy heads out of your asses.
Comments
Doesn't your disability come with Medicare? Not that it means much- I've never met a mental health professional that took Medicare without a lot of forms or trying to get them to pay more, if any...
I could never want any sort of regulated healthscare system, simply because care for those with diseases/conditions such as Spina Bifida is pretty horrible in countries where the govt runs healthcare. People get sub-par treatment because the doctor in their town/locality isn't as skilled at threading nerves through the spine or reconstructing feet or legs or whatever. It damages lives. Many doctors aren't as qualified as others, and we've often had to fly to different parts of the country to find doctors who could perform the right surgery, even though there were local ones who could do it without half as much experience. The idea of having that choice taken from me scares the hell out of me. For those of us who need precision surgery and skilled infectious disease doctors who can recognize and treat a rare infection, universal health care is not a dream, it's a nightmare. Choice is so important to those of us with these conditions, and to have that taken away, or to have to wait a few days or weeks for some sort of permission or clearance is not an option when you have an infection worming through your blood or your bones.
Posted by chel at November 5, 2002 5:57 AM
No one wins in the insurance game except perhaps the insurance companies. I have awesome insurance but it costs me $400 a month and I have to stay within my network of providers. I have to wait anxiously while the insurance company negotiates each bill with the doctor's office to see how the outcome will impact my deductible. It's a very screwed up industry.
Posted by Lisa at November 5, 2002 2:46 PM
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