healthcare tirade.

So I'm watching Sicko RIGHT NOW and I'm so blown away that I have to write as I watch. We've all heard the jokes and phrases of, "I'm moving to Canada!" and in all honesty, I've never really known much about the healthcare system there except that its universal and no one pays. I'm not going to say I have all of the answers about socialized programs and government, but this seems to be a no-brainer. How is it ethical that in a situation of emergency we have to find a place that's "In-Netork" otherwise we stand to pay thousands of dollars for care that may not be covered under our insurance programs? Or if you can't afford healthcare in the first place, and something bad happens, you have to decide whether to go into insurmountable debt or not have a procedure done? Don't even get me started on pre-existing conditions. When you stand back and think about it, its mind-blowing.

In Canada, England and other countries, no one pays for healthcare. Yes, they are paying more in taxes, but a Canadian gentleman talked about it explaining, "We all pay so that everyone can go. I don't deserve it more than the next person. We take care of each other...and healthcare is something that should cross all beliefs - democrat or republican." Michael Moore then said, "Well, you must be a liberal." His response, "I'm actually a conservative." In England a gentleman explained, "Its as non-contraversial as womens' right to vote. No one could say, 'Why should women have the right to vote?' And if Tony Blair had even mentioned changing the healthcare system, there would've been a revolution."

The problem is that so many people are making so much money off of our healthcare system here in America. I'm certainly not an America hater or a conspiracy theorist, but anyone can look and see the public information that insurance CEOs are millionaires and some of the biggest supporters of presidential candidates and congressional representatives. Scary! And I fear that even if we were to come up with a universal solution, America would screw it up somehow. ..Because someone would have to benefit monetarily. That's just the way it works here. I'm not going to sit here and say that other countries don't have problems and don't have policies that are bad. I just wish we could start making some changes here. I wish we weren't spending billions of dollars on the Iraq war and could change our healthcare and education policies. And I really hope the election this fall gives us that opportunity.

My grandma Peg called while I was watching the movie and we all know how much I love her. Good timing. I started my rant. Grandma's response was, "Well, what are you going to do about it?" Did I mention I love her? I didn't have an answer, but she did. She told me to take care of myself. Prevention. Then she went on to tell me that her biggest problem at the moment was a daddy, mama and two baby squirrels taking up residence in her gutters. She got on a ladder and climbed up to try and take care of the problem by scaring them. I love her will! ...but Grandma, don't fall off. We need healthcare reform first!