The Right to Get Smashed
August 11th, 2009
Just got home from the annual smash fest. Ouch! Good news–1 year further from cancer and 1 year closer to old age. Bring on the wrinkles!
Turns out that today my hospital was hosting a Town Hall discussion over Obama’s health care reform initiative. If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you’ll know that there have been some very contentious arguments around the country on this topic. It certainly has citizens engaged. In fact, the line to get into the building was a block long. The police presence was very heavy-outdoors, in the building and adjacent parking garage. So much so, I was almost late for my appointment, just trying to get through.
Anyway, while I was downstairs getting squished, gelled and scanned (courtesy of my health plan) upstairs there were people waiting to speak their minds–some angry, some hopeful. On the other side of the doors were hospital personnel, security and police, monitoring entrances, setting up for searches and working to maintain a peaceful discussion. Wow.
I am a fortunate one. Having insurance, my diagnosis was early, requiring less expensive treatment, with a better prognosis. During the last 7 years, I’ve been able to raise my children and contribute to society (man hours + tax dollars). So from a purely economic standpoint–keeping me healthy was a good investment.
Had there not been insurance for regular diagnostic screening, the cancer may have progressed farther. The treatment would certainly have been more difficult, expensive, and less effective–not to mention increasing the economic and emotional toll on my family.
So–YES. Every single person in this country ought to have health insurance. Period. Avoiding routine health care and treatment because it is not affordable is, in fact, an unaffordable system. I stand squarely in the camp for universal insurance and better health care access for all citizens.
Quite simply–we all deserve the opportunity to hear the bad news from our doctors–in time. And we all deserve the opportunity to return and hear the good news–7 times and counting.
