Sicko... plus a bonus rambling lament
I watched Micheal Moore's new movie Sicko last Wednesday night (thanks to bittorrent... hey, Mike said it was okay!). I've been waiting on its release for a while as health care and insurance are two topics that are of particular interest to me.
I enjoyed the film immensely. Yes, it was chock-full of the same emotional sabotage tactics that are prevalent in many of his films... but the facts don't lie. Though the negatives of universal health care were not presented, the facts on our current system were spot on. All in all, I hope that people will at least view this and use it as a starting point to open their eyes. To see our system for what it is... broken.
If only I could believe that all it would take is a film to open peoples eyes.
Yes, I'm jaded. And It's not without good reason. I'm one of the 46.6 million Americans without insurance. And I'm paying dearly for it.
When I decided to come back to school in 2003, I crunched the numbers and insurance just wasn't going to fit. I could either continue working full time and not go back to school (but have insurance) or go to school (and therefore be uninsured). Yes, I chose to go back to school... but the fact is that choosing between bettering yourself and being a more productive member of society or being able to have health insurance is a choice that no one should have to make.
The fact is though... that I had it better than most in my position. I work for the corporate office of a doctor's office with locations throughout the state. Through work, I have access to health care. This has been a lifesaver and has enabled me to get care when I was ill, something that most people take for granted... but sadly is unavailable to many people.
The only problem in my situation comes in when other health care providers are involved, or when it comes to prescriptions. I have accrued $9,000 in medical bills over the past 2 years, in addition to $105 a month that I pay for two prescriptions that are necessary for me to function. I know that there are so many people out there that are worse off, which is why I try not to whine about it... but I can't get it out of my mind that it doesn't have to be this way.
Yeah, yeah, there are programs... programs meant to help people temporarily. Bullshit. The only way someone like me would be able to get help is if I got pregnant. How much sense does that make? If I got pregnant, I would have full coverage by Medicaid. Obviously, I wouldn't go that route. So what are some other options? Prescription assistance programs? Tried it... get this: I make too much money! Ha! At the time I applied, I was making $11,000 a year. They said that I make too much money. Too much money. Really? How does someone survive on 11,000/year? Very carefully... and with a lot of help. I could go on about the other failed attempts to get some sort of help, but to be honest... it's just exhausting.
So here I am, $9000 later and looking forward to paying at least $1260 more dollars in the next year for medicine. I guess I should look on the bright side... the bills I rack up in medical fees will not even come close to the amount of student debt I'll accrue before I graduate...
... all because I wanted to be a more productive member of society.
Maybe Michael Moore's next film can shed some light on the extremely high rate that tuition increases and how corrupt and backwards the student loan system is.
And then I can post a rambling lament about that.
But for now... see the film.
I enjoyed the film immensely. Yes, it was chock-full of the same emotional sabotage tactics that are prevalent in many of his films... but the facts don't lie. Though the negatives of universal health care were not presented, the facts on our current system were spot on. All in all, I hope that people will at least view this and use it as a starting point to open their eyes. To see our system for what it is... broken.
If only I could believe that all it would take is a film to open peoples eyes.
Yes, I'm jaded. And It's not without good reason. I'm one of the 46.6 million Americans without insurance. And I'm paying dearly for it.
When I decided to come back to school in 2003, I crunched the numbers and insurance just wasn't going to fit. I could either continue working full time and not go back to school (but have insurance) or go to school (and therefore be uninsured). Yes, I chose to go back to school... but the fact is that choosing between bettering yourself and being a more productive member of society or being able to have health insurance is a choice that no one should have to make.
The fact is though... that I had it better than most in my position. I work for the corporate office of a doctor's office with locations throughout the state. Through work, I have access to health care. This has been a lifesaver and has enabled me to get care when I was ill, something that most people take for granted... but sadly is unavailable to many people.
The only problem in my situation comes in when other health care providers are involved, or when it comes to prescriptions. I have accrued $9,000 in medical bills over the past 2 years, in addition to $105 a month that I pay for two prescriptions that are necessary for me to function. I know that there are so many people out there that are worse off, which is why I try not to whine about it... but I can't get it out of my mind that it doesn't have to be this way.
Yeah, yeah, there are programs... programs meant to help people temporarily. Bullshit. The only way someone like me would be able to get help is if I got pregnant. How much sense does that make? If I got pregnant, I would have full coverage by Medicaid. Obviously, I wouldn't go that route. So what are some other options? Prescription assistance programs? Tried it... get this: I make too much money! Ha! At the time I applied, I was making $11,000 a year. They said that I make too much money. Too much money. Really? How does someone survive on 11,000/year? Very carefully... and with a lot of help. I could go on about the other failed attempts to get some sort of help, but to be honest... it's just exhausting.
So here I am, $9000 later and looking forward to paying at least $1260 more dollars in the next year for medicine. I guess I should look on the bright side... the bills I rack up in medical fees will not even come close to the amount of student debt I'll accrue before I graduate...
... all because I wanted to be a more productive member of society.
Maybe Michael Moore's next film can shed some light on the extremely high rate that tuition increases and how corrupt and backwards the student loan system is.
And then I can post a rambling lament about that.
But for now... see the film.