Health Care Quandaries

A couple days ago I was talking with Bob, a friend from mine from Hillsdale. I asked how he was and he responded by stating that he was great! A rheumatologist had just prescribed the solution to his debilitating low back pain; an injection that costs a mere $450/week, for a grand total of $1800/month. Bummer. His current health care provider? Medicare. Unfortunately, he's about to enter the Medicare Donut Hole. And, well, $1800/month is a little hard to come by for just about anyone. Double bummer. I love Bob. I want him to be able to play golf this summer (that's what he's looking forward to now that his back pain has been alleviated). So, should I blame Medicare (aka the government) for not providing care? Where should Bob get the money?

I have no idea. I'm still trying to figure out where the solution lies.

However in regards to the current changes that are being made...

"It is difficult to imagine that a nation which began, at least in part, as the result of opposition to a British mandate giving the East India Company a monopoly and imposing a nominal tax on all tea sold in America would have set out to create a government with the power to force people to buy tea in the first place."

- Judge Roger Vinson [the Federal Judge who ruled the Health Care Bill (the PPACA: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) unconstitutional on January 31, 2011. To learn more I highly recommend this article at foxnews.com and the video associated with it.]

There are parts of the bill that aren't bad things. Like the parts where Bob may get more coverage. Or the parts where people will get health care who don't have it already. Those things themselves are not bad things! And I want them for people. Or the extra funding for primary care residency spots. Please! Sign me up!

But, this and the other good parts are worth sacrificing. All $940 billion dollars of it. Why? Because we can't have everything. And that's okay. Life's not fair. And I like Foxs News, but lets just get one thing straight. Nothing is ever really fair and balanced.

 As Judge Vison points out, if the "individual mandate" which requires every person to have health care is unconstitutional, then the whole darn thing has to be as well. It's what will fund all the other underlying parts of the bill.

That's why I disgree with the PPACA. Not because I am happy with the health care system, not because I am content with the millions of Americans who can't afford care, not because I associate with a different political party, and most certainly not because I'm not President Obama's biggest fan. The government shouldn't have that sort of power to tell people to buy something. And we shouldn't want them to either. But, we are selfish. We see how the bill with benefit us in some small way and forget about the huge implication it has on generations of future Americans.

"Congress could require that people buy and consume broccoli at regular intervals."

-Judge Vinson

All because it's for the good of the people. Do you want to be told to buy broccoli? We aren't stupid. You are not stupid. Don't let the government treat you that way. Take some responsibility.

"In a democracy, the individual enjoys not only the ultimate power but carries the ultimate responsibility."

- Norman Cousins

American political journalist, author, professor, and world peace advocate