The second group that gets screwed by the system are the sick, and they are the ones who are screwed the most. Adam, above, is one textbook case - his problems would have been averted if there had been a way for him to get the test he needed. I am another textbook case. I make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but my health insurance doesn't cover my very expensive pills. It's exceedingly difficult for me to get health insurance because I have Crohn's disease. As long as I never go uninsured for more than 3 months, my Crohn's will continue to be covered by any new insurance policy that I get - they are required by law to cover it. But right now, my coverage is insufficient and there is literally not a single damn thing I can do about it. And if I ever go uninsured for more than three months for any reason, I'm completely, 100% screwed because my new insurance company would not be required to cover anything related to Crohn's disease until I've been subscribed to their plan for one year. That's a year in which they won't cover my medication, my doctor's visits, and my in-hospital treatments to do with Crohn's disease.
Big companies with powerful unions tend to be able to get around this - unions, in particular, can demand that there be no pre-existing conditions exclusion in their healthcare plans. But when I say "big companies," I mean BIG companies - think Microsoft, Boeing, GM. And you know what the kicker is? There are people - many, many people - who say that that's my solution. "All your problems mean is that you'll have to get a job working for Boeing or something."
Right. Because working for Boeing is PRECISELY what my skills - never mind my personality - lend themselves well to. Because it's absolutely fair that my profession should be chosen based on my fucking need for good health insurance.
It's like - I have a degree from one of the best universities in Canada and an MA from one of the best universities in Britain. I'm getting a PhD from the best program in my field. I'm smart, well-educated, well-travelled, bilingual. I've worked very hard to maintain for myself the ability to follow my own interests and passions. But all that hard work, all those interests and passions, are trumped by the need for insurance when it comes decisions about my future. As long as I stay in this country, and as long as this country doesn't change, that will remain the case.
I'm really sorry you and so many people are getting fucked over by America being stupid and not taking care of its citizens. I almost reached through the TV and strangled Guilliani during the debate last night when he said that we have the best health care system in the world (sure, we do, but who can afford to use it?).
I'm also starting to like Obama more, but I'm still undecided. I just want the Democrats to shake some shit up and get people the health care they need.
(You're welcome for the music. Hope you were able to share it with Ana, too.)
Big companies with powerful unions tend to be able to get around this - unions, in particular, can demand that there be no pre-existing conditions exclusion in their healthcare plans. But when I say "big companies," I mean BIG companies - think Microsoft, Boeing, GM. And you know what the kicker is? There are people - many, many people - who say that that's my solution. "All your problems mean is that you'll have to get a job working for Boeing or something."
Right. Because working for Boeing is PRECISELY what my skills - never mind my personality - lend themselves well to. Because it's absolutely fair that my profession should be chosen based on my fucking need for good health insurance.
It's like - I have a degree from one of the best universities in Canada and an MA from one of the best universities in Britain. I'm getting a PhD from the best program in my field. I'm smart, well-educated, well-travelled, bilingual. I've worked very hard to maintain for myself the ability to follow my own interests and passions. But all that hard work, all those interests and passions, are trumped by the need for insurance when it comes decisions about my future. As long as I stay in this country, and as long as this country doesn't change, that will remain the case.
/rant.
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I'm also starting to like Obama more, but I'm still undecided. I just want the Democrats to shake some shit up and get people the health care they need.
(You're welcome for the music. Hope you were able to share it with Ana, too.)
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