The Healthcare Bill

I recently got into a discussion with a self declared progressive regarding the health care bill. She came straight out of the gate condemning “those republicans in congress” for not supporting the bill. To which I replied that I thought they were doing the right thing and that, although I do believe that some changes need to be made to the health care in this country, I do not believe the 2,800 page bill being rammed through congress is the solution. I figured it would be pointless to point out the fact that until recently the democrats did not need a single republican vote to get the bill passed.

Here is where I stand, I have a chronic condition which has required and will continue to require continuous care for the rest of my life and I am extremely grateful for the ability to pay more and receive better care for myself to ensure a better life for myself and my family. I am not willing to give up that luxury. A universal health care system- or any form of government run competition - will inherently run private health care companies out of business. As has occurred in Canada, the private insurance companies cannot compete with a not profit government system. And the only result – which has occurred in both Canada and England – is long waits for treatment and denial of necessary drugs and treatments based on age and due to bureaucratic red tape. I pointed this out to my adversary who denied that the bill was that long and just continued to state that something needed to be done yet had no solution as to what and how to accomplish "something". She then discussed how she does not currently have insurance because it costs too much – yet she is selling a home worth over a million dollars and plans to purchase another home worth another million dollars. As I watched her drive away in her Mercedes amid a haze of hypocrisy I had to wonder who she thinks is going to pay for the “something” that she thinks needs to be done.