So, I've been looking for a medium to express my views, ideas, thoughts, etc. so I've decided to start a blog. If you decide to read my blog, then thanks. Please share your comments. I love controversial topics and heated arguments -- as long as they are fair. As a social worker, I see a lot of the social problems of society and the inability to make an impact toward change can sometimes be very frustrating. Hopefully this will be a helpful and healthy outlet for me.
One of the biggest problems in our country today is the lack of affordable heath care and health insurance for our citizens. My daughter had cancer when she was 11 years old. As a single parent, I had to take a leave of absence without pay, so that I could care for her. My agency allowed me to keep my health insurance benefits (as long as I paid the premiums), but that still would not have covered all of the expenses (I'm still paying off what wasn't covered). I applied for Medicaid for my child, and they picked up the additional cost. She was eligible for Medicaid because she was a child; as an adult, she would have had no insurance available to her.
Fortunately, my daughter survived. She has to have an annual oncology check up until she is 30 years old, which includes a medical / physical exam by a pediatric oncologist, blood work, x-rays, an ekg and an echo cardiogram. The ekg and the echo cardiogram will be an annual need for the rest of her life, because of the type of chemotherapy that she received. Additionally, they want her to have an annual gyn checkup, dental checkup's twice per year, etc. Guess what -- she can't get health insurance, under the current system, that will cover all of those needs because they are necessary because of a "preexisting condition." So what is she to do? Those check up's are expensive. And she is not the only person in this type of situation.
I'm not saying she should get free heath care, but she should be able to purchase insurance at a reasonable cost, she should be able to receive health care at a reasonable cost, and she should not be punished because she was sick as a child. Today, she is 21 years old, married, and in general good health. Consider her as she is today. She has been off of treatment for over 9 years, and her likelihood of relapse is very low. She doesn't smoke, drink or use drugs; her only sexual partner is her husband and she is his only partner -- and they've only been with each other; she stays out of the sun and uses sunscreen when she is out in the sun. In short, she is a health insurance company's dream come true -- except that she had cancer when she was 11 years old.
If our country provided for a "group" insurance program to develop a "pool" for people like my daughter, at least she could buy health insurance at a reasonable cost. And if medical providers offered reasonable fee's she could afford to pay to go for these check ups. I don't agree that the government should "require" or "force" every citizen to purchase health insurance; I don't agree that the government should be required to provide her with free medical care; however, I do believe that there should be some type of regulation that would allow citizens to purchase affordable health insurance and obtain affordable health care.
So, that's what "Debi sez" for today -- what's your opinion? Let me know.
