Socalized health care is a good idea on paper. In practice, it will fail. Not only is it expensive, but it cripples free market business. I am more independent these days, not wanting to affix myself to one ideal only to find I don’t agree with more than 50% of people in that party. I work in a pharmacy, I see one aspect of healthcare at work. Is it perfect? Hell no. Does it sometimes work? Hell yes. Does it sometimes utterly fail people? Hell yes. And that’s the problem.
I would like to know one system set up in this world that is 100% perfect. My minuscule brain cannot find one. I feel like most of this issue for people in the US is to get something for free. They feel that all health care for every single person should be free. It should especially be free for their families and of course their own person. They start to throw words around like “entitled” and “god given right” and all that horse shit that mucks up the actual problem. They don’t care how much it will cost, the harm it could cause, they only want it covered for them. I liken this attitude some people have to the fraction of medicaid patients who feel they shouldn’t have to pay even one cent for a life saving medication, but can go around the corner and buy a carton of cigarettes.
And on another note, I don’t see the disastrous health care problem some pundits and elected officials are decrying. Yes, it is hurting. The entire WORLD is hurting right now due to the economic problems. Health care is another cog in the wheel of that system, and so of course it is going to hurt. However, for hundreds of the horror (like this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/health-care-horror-story_n_306572.html and this http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/27/health-insurance-horror-s_n_245410.html ) there are potentially millions of success stories. However, a quick Google search (Oh Google, you are my bread and butter) shows the only positive thing about health care is some HIV testing. Ouch.
Working in the health care industry for as little time as I have (3 years) I have learned a lot. I have seen some bad things happen, and some good. Most people remember the bad things. I think it is time we remember the good. I have seen some medications be completely covered for some people, and these meds are life saving antibiotics, anti-cancer, and etc. I have seen some pharmacists call up a doctor and ask to change a medication because it was way too expensive, and the alternative is pennies on the dollar cheaper. These are the stories that show the good side of the current system.
Before the economic collapse, I took a little pill called Nexium(R) for GERD. This capsule literally saved my life as I was slowly dying from over 20 ulcers in my esophagus and duodenum. For a month supply this drug is $300. Now, I won’t go into the bullshit of why this drug is so expensive right now (I’m saving that for a future topic), but my insurance only asked for $15 as a co-payment. $15 dollars a month to be able to drink OJ without throwing up? Oh, sign me up! Then, in about 2006 Astra Zeneca introduced this amazing assistance program that made my Nexium(R) completely free. All I had to do was sign up. I got some mail every few months about information promoting Nexium(R). I can live with that for free. Now, the economic times have taken that away. I can’t blame Astra Zeneca. I received almost 20 months of free medication that at a cost of $300 a month is $6000 worth of medication. That saved me a whopping $300 during the same period. How can I complain about that? I can’t! When they took the program away, I didn’t bat an eye. I had saved a ton. Also, my medication IS STILL only $15 dollars a month! I feel the health care system helped me immensely.
I don’t understand why there isn’t a collection of positive stories regarding the health care system. There are, I have not only lived a couple myself, but I have seen other people’s gratefulness for their situation. I don’t understand why most people don’t think about the positive. They should be able to use their cognitive ability to see how the system has helped people. Of course the system has failed many people. The system should LEARN from those failures.
So, even though I am not on board with Obama’s current plan, what masterful plan do I have to set forth to save all of humanity? Uh, well, you see, I have no fucking clue. I have no answer. I don’t see how any fix could be painless, quick, and free. The system should be forced to evolve slowly. Change this, change that. While the idea that the system will fix itself over time is flawed, it would take the work of many people to slowly improve the system. Will it fail a certain number of people? Oh, fuck the hell yeah it is made by humans who are flawed. The plan Obama and his team are setting up will not only cost the American taxpaying a lot but not actual help as many people. The influx of people who will abuse the system (accidentally and on purpose) will cripple hospitals, doctor offices, and pharmacies. Imagine, you get sick. You feel miserable. You have this health care that you know will be free. Won’t you use it? Heck, I would. I do. My health care at school is free. Well, free as in I will be paying for it after I get out of pharmacy school. But I digress.
Many people (I’m sick of saying millions, that sounds so insane) will go to their local hospital, pharmacy, or doctor’s office for needless tests, drugs, and check-ups. Oh wait, you say. What about the positives I am talking about? Yes, I detect the irony there too. However, there will be positives. There will be people who are helped by this system. Honest people who need a life saving surgery who won’t have to stress about paying for it. Mothers and fathers who will have drugs and critical care all paid for so they can concentrate on other things. There will be positives and negatives to this.
However, I feel there will be slightly more negatives. I can’t base that upon much fact. There are crazy stories from other countries (Canada, UK) of people waiting months for critical surgeries and dying or having critical side effects (I will not post any here, you all can Google).
I hope at the very least that Obama’s health care plan will spurn support to change the system bit by bit. I also hope the system doesn’t get passed. It scares me to think of some consequences if it does. Consequences that are both positive and negative.
Tags: Astra Zeneca, Health Care, Nexium(R), Obama
