Joker wrote:
The uninsured are the unemployed.
That amounts to over 10 million people. Emergency care is not going to provide assistance for chronic conditions requiring treatment like chemotherapy. It is an effective death sentence for some to lose their jobs, and health care coverage.
The affordable health care act, resolves this problem for many when fully instituted. And the problem is one of life or death, for some.
There is also the potential that some children with autism, may lose their guaranteed coverage under private insurance plans, at this point required coverage to age 19, because of the new requirements currently effective with the affordable health care act, for private insurance companies covering those with preexisting conditions, if the entire act is revoked.
Along, with the potential that some with autism will no longer be afforded coverage under their parents insurance policy provided by employers, to age 26, extended by the current health care reform act.
These are among the families among the 37% of the country polled that do not want to see any of the health care reform package reformed. They likely only exist in the millions, as a relatively small portion of the population, but hardly an insignificant portion of the country. Those that will not be able to get full coverage, even if their parents are making a 100,000 dollars a year.
Out of sight though, and out of mind, for those not personally touched by these potential hardships that have nothing to do with how hard someone is willing to work in life, to support their family or themselves.
Not likely anyone close to them will miss the opportunity to vote in December, if those insurance benefits are taken away, as a result of republican lawsuits, challenging the Health Care Reform Act.
I pay my portion of health care coverage at $6,000 per year per my federal retirement insurance coverage that pays for $12,000 of the full fee of $18,000, for my wife and myself.
This is the regular rate for a non-retired family of two, for individuals in the bottom rung of government non-appropriated employment making a little over minimum wage in a full time position. They pay almost half of their take home salary just in health insurance costs. With the affordable healthcare act, if they have children, they would pay nothing for medicaid coverage.
I live in the bible belt; the preachers are telling them healthcare reform is an evil socialist government plot, broadcasting by radio, for those not able to attend church.
That $6,000 could go a long way to provide a better life for their children. At this point some feel lucky just to have the opportunity to spend close to half their salary on coverage, to insure their family's health is not at risk, from potential chronic illness, and no health care coverage.
That's not the same concern for some young healthy single people who are under the illusion that they are invincible, and will worry about insurance coverage sometime in the future, when they need it.
Meanwhile there are some of these same individuals who stand to gain medicaid coverage, because they too are working in a job close to minimum wage, and neither are afforded an opportunity to buy insurance or can't hope to afford $6,000 for insurance coverage and pay their rent.
But some don't even realize it, because all some have been listening to is people that focus on the described evil government socialist plot of healthcare reform, rather than reviewing the fact sheets easy to find on any internet connection. And of course, if they are among the many who feel invincible among the ills that may suddenly fall on anyone, it's not likely even on their radar.
I paid insurance my entire life, and haven't skipped a payment yet. I never needed it for 23 years for myself, but had a child in a hospital for 51 days and a bill of 300K, that would have required bankruptcy and the loss of my home if I had not been covered. It happened to the people who lived across the street from me, who were not afforded the opportunity to purchase health care coverage with their employer for their family. They lost their home, but it is worth every penny to them, because their child survived.
I give people credit for out of sight and out of mind, or the youthful vigor of invincibility, but if they have ever personally witnessed the loss and suffering of others, in that minority of 40 million out of over 300 million that aren't covered, whom worked their tails off all their lives, and were not afforded an opportunity to purchase insurance at their time of need, all I can say is I wouldn't wish what I have seen happen to others, if they are caught in a time of need, that can impact anyone, even the one's who perceive themselves as the current lucky ones, with the illusion that they are invincibly self-sufficient in the capricious reality of life.
I understand that, I went without coverage in college for a couple of years when I passed the age of coverage under my mothers policy. I never worried for a minute. And I never worried about it for myself for the 23 years that I had insurance for myself and never needed it. But you can bet it caught my attention when I had a child, and my wife was diagnosed with Epilepsy shortly after the birth of the child. That's a roulette will that everyone plays; there is never a guarantee of a child or mother's health at birth, even if everything is expected to go right.
And per the issue of Canada, there are quite a few posters here, that don't watch American propaganda on fox that live there. I haven't come across one that would trade the government policies on healthcare between countries.
26 Jun 2012, 1:33 pm
the working class/self-employed are most of the uninsured.
