Write On

Write On: Progressive News for Northern Michigan December 2003
Local Links Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice Nothwoods Wilderness Recovery Keweenaw Now State, National, and International Links Common Dreams Greenpeace Move On Independent Media Democracy Now! True Majority Michigan Citizens for Peace United for Peace Citizen.org Citizenworks.org	Grandma says, Jane Westfall Leave my Medicare alone! I've paid into the system all my adult life when working, and while it’s not perfect, it’s all I've got. Now, I'm one of the lucky ones, so far at least. I have a supplemental insurance that has a pharmacy plan. The only change I would be in favor of would be a universal, single payer medical plan that covers everyone. All the advanced western countries have some form of universal health coverage for their citizens, except us. We, one of the richest nations in the world, have more uninsured people than any other nation. Shame on us! Don't fall for all that propaganda against it....it’s just that, PROPAGANDA! If all the doctors were paid by the same plan, you would have choice of doctors, at least as much as you do now. Of course the rich and powerful will always have better advantages but that goes without saying. The way things work now, the people that are uninsured put off seeking medical care until its very serious and then are admitted into a hospital (usually through the E.R.). The bills are covered by the hospital, but in reality are paid by increased hospital charges passed on to those who have insurance. Its the same with drugs, we pay exorbitantly high prices so that the countries who have price control and our government representatives can get them cheaper...this whole system stinks! My husband spent 20 years in the Air Force and we were under government controlled health care. Every one of the support staff in the clinics and hospitals were courteous, appointments were usually on time, and, for the most part, I felt the doctors and medical staff were capable and dedicated to their professions. If, during an appointment, it was established that you needed to see a specialist, you were referred to one. A single payer universal health program would be very similar to this. Also, much of the overwhelming paperwork such as: checking accuracy of charges, deciphering what charges are from what department of the hospital as they are all separate, doctors bills and, if you have supplemental insurance, trying to figure out what insurance pays for what. God help you if you have to call and ask a question of your insurance company...be sure to go to the bathroom before you make the call because you will be into the automated system a long time before you actually talk to a person. This, at a time in your life, when the senses are failing, grown children are often unavailable for help, and stresses of illness or grief are at their highest. Most of this would be eliminated in a universal health care with a single payer plan for everyone. To begin this type of coverage, most of the population would have to be phased out of the private insurance companies, so initially the program could be expensive. Eventually though, it would actually be cheaper for the government than the programs that now exist. The government, if they really wanted to, could purchase drugs cheaper, the tax cuts to the wealthy could be nixed, some monies could be shaved off of the huge defense spending that has a LOT of pork and we would still be paying into the system when working, so it is a feasible plan. Some politicians would like to make Medicare privatized....I say, NO WAY! No matter how expensive the government programs can seem at times, the private companies will be greater...after all, they have stockholders to answer to and must make a profit. I find insurance companies don't like paying out when you really need them....they certainly will not want seniors new into the program if they already have existing serious health problems. Also, just in the past few years Blue Cross/Blue Shield has stopped paying for physicals, mammograms, prostate cancer blood detection tests, anything preventive is now out...you must be symptomatic ( palpable lumps for instance), before the insurance will cover testing and then it’s often too late for a cure. Plus, I have a feeling the price of policies would be continually rising with less and less coverage and no bargaining power on the side of the insured. At least with a government insurance policy, we would have some representation....so like I said, DO IT RIGHT OR LEAVE IT ALONE!! That's it from Grandma's house!	Write On Issues December November October September August July June May

Write On: Progressive News for Northern Michigan

December 2003

Local Links

Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice

Nothwoods Wilderness Recovery

Keweenaw Now

State, National, and International Links

Michigan Citizens for Peace

United for Peace

Citizen.org

Citizenworks.org

Grandma says, Jane Westfall

Leave my Medicare alone! I've paid into the system all my adult life when working, and while it’s not perfect, it’s all I've got. Now, I'm one of the lucky ones, so far at least. I have a supplemental insurance that has a pharmacy plan. The only change I would be in favor of would be a universal, single payer medical plan that covers everyone. All the advanced western countries have some form of universal health coverage for their citizens, except us. We, one of the richest nations in the world, have more uninsured people than any other nation. Shame on us! Don't fall for all that propaganda against it....it’s just that, PROPAGANDA! If all the doctors were paid by the same plan, you would have choice of doctors, at least as much as you do now. Of course the rich and powerful will always have better advantages but that goes without saying. The way things work now, the people that are uninsured put off seeking medical care until its very serious and then are admitted into a hospital (usually through the E.R.). The bills are covered by the hospital, but in reality are paid by increased hospital charges passed on to those who have insurance. Its the same with drugs, we pay exorbitantly high prices so that the countries who have price control and our government representatives can get them cheaper...this whole system stinks!

My husband spent 20 years in the Air Force and we were under government controlled health care. Every one of the support staff in the clinics and hospitals were courteous, appointments were usually on time, and, for the most part, I felt the doctors and medical staff were capable and dedicated to their professions. If, during an appointment, it was established that you needed to see a specialist, you were referred to one. A single payer universal health program would be very similar to this. Also, much of the overwhelming paperwork such as: checking accuracy of charges, deciphering what charges are from what department of the hospital as they are all separate, doctors bills and, if you have supplemental insurance, trying to figure out what insurance pays for what. God help you if you have to call and ask a question of your insurance company...be sure to go to the bathroom before you make the call because you will be into the automated system a long time before you actually talk to a person. This, at a time in your life, when the senses are failing, grown children are often unavailable for help, and stresses of illness or grief are at their highest. Most of this would be eliminated in a universal health care with a single payer plan for everyone.

To begin this type of coverage, most of the population would have to be phased out of the private insurance companies, so initially the program could be expensive. Eventually though, it would actually be cheaper for the government than the programs that now exist. The government, if they really wanted to, could purchase drugs cheaper, the tax cuts to the wealthy could be nixed, some monies could be shaved off of the huge defense spending that has a LOT of pork and we would still be paying into the system when working, so it is a feasible plan. Some politicians would like to make Medicare privatized....I say, NO WAY! No matter how expensive the government programs can seem at times, the private companies will be greater...after all, they have stockholders to answer to and must make a profit. I find insurance companies don't like paying out when you really need them....they certainly will not want seniors new into the program if they already have existing serious health problems. Also, just in the past few years Blue Cross/Blue Shield has stopped paying for physicals, mammograms, prostate cancer blood detection tests, anything preventive is now out...you must be symptomatic ( palpable lumps for instance), before the insurance will cover testing and then it’s often too late for a cure. Plus, I have a feeling the price of policies would be continually rising with less and less coverage and no bargaining power on the side of the insured. At least with a government insurance policy, we would have some representation....so like I said, DO IT RIGHT OR LEAVE IT ALONE!!

That's it from Grandma's house!

Write On Issues