I've heard this number (46 million without health insurance) thrown around when it comes to the uninsured in America so I thought I'd do a little research because health care is a huge topic in America today. Here's what I found out and if you have any other information I'd love to hear about it. I think it's important that people talk about this because our country is at a crossroads with health care.
Of the 46 million uninsured in America, 9.5 million are not legal U.S. citizens. Another 17 million live in households that make more than $50,000 a year and could purchase their own insurance and another 18 million are between the ages of 18 and 34 and choose not to purchase insurance because of their age and good health. That means that there is really no crisis at all. It also shows that all U.S. citizens have the ability to get health insurance but some choose not to get it. In addition to that, most people without health insurance are only without it for 12 months while inbetween jobs and can utilize a COBRA plan. Others are covered by medicare and medicaid and welfare.
I personally have never been denied medical attention ever in my life, nor have I known or ever met anyone that has been denied help in America. I'm sure it has happened in America but it's not widespread by any stretch. Here's where I do know that people have been denied coverage and help.
In socialist countries where I have traveled, I've met dozens of people that have been denied coverage or shared tragic stories of loved ones denied coverage. I have also flown on airplanes with people that are here in America to get the treatment they needed but couldn't get it in their country. (Some were from Canada and others from European countries.) There is also a 5+ star hotel in Rochester Minnesota across from the Mayo Clinic that would make the Ritz look average and caters to the richest of the rich of the world as they fly in to get needed treatments.
I've also been in the hospitals in China and Russia and I've noticed that the rich get in first, they get better treatment and cash on the side is king. I personally have been moved to the front of the line in a crowded, filthy blood stained waiting room for $20. (I didn't know it at the time, they simply asked if I was American and had cash for payment.) I've also received great personal daily care for $20 a day for one of the kids on my youth trips. (The Dr. recommended this treatment and it was amazing, all cash of course after he got off work.) So my experiences with socialized medicine taught me that it's not very good at all. Actually it's deadly and the rich will get much better treatment than the poor.
I know our country can do better than we're doing, but as you can tell, I'm not a fan of government run health care because of what I've seen. So, any other thoughts? How do we fix it and make it better? This is critical and we need to get this right so I had to blog about it even though it's not that spiritual. If people are not getting coverage, or being taken advantage of, it really is a "care for the least of these" type thing and we need to be part of the solution.
