Reality & Responsibility in Health Insurance

Last updated on: May 9, 2013 at 6:09 am by Faithful Democrats

Reality & Responsibility in Health Insurance 2013-05-09T06:09:17-06:00 Faithful Democrats

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In the old days, insurance was one of those things you had in the event that catastrophic circumstances occurred.

It was intended as protection against outrageous debt due to circumstances beyond our control. Today, health insurance in any form is seen as an entitlement. I say this as a member of the 47 million group that doesn't have health insurance.

I watch my friends and family that have insurance. They make decisions every day that are irresponsible and contribute directly to the problem. You see, people with insurance seem to believe that because they have health insurance they are ENTITLED to stuff their faces and their bodies with WHATEVER they desire.

As a result we have a country of entitled fatties riddled with disease and using up the health resources faster than they pay for them.

Let's just look at the math for a second. If you paid $500 per month for your entire life up until the age 65, you would have paid $390,000.00. Now, you could use that amount with one diagnosis of cancer in a lifetime. So it's very easy to understand what is happening from an economic stand point.

In the 90's, after the Republicans shot down the recommendations of Hillary Clinton's health care commission, our country started going to HMO and PPO policies. All of a sudden, insurance companies are paying for everything related to health care (at least that which they deem is necessary). Today it is the insurance company that is determining a patient's medical course of treatment instead of doctors and patients.

As one of the 47 million without health insurance, I have been called irresponsible. I am not the irresponsible one. Because I don't have insurance, I take responsibility for my health and more informed about health issues than most people I know. I am also healthier than just about anyone you will find.

But I find it odd that everyone I know with insurance seems to think they don't have to take the same responsibility. They don't have to pay attention. They don't have to exercise and they can get as fat as they want or drink as much as they want, etc. etc. As a result we are one of the fattest (if not THE FATTEST) countries in the world.

In China today, cancer rates have skyrocketed over the past 20 years. It's very easy to understand why: pollution and western diets.

As Christians, what gives us the right to do this to our bodies, the temple of Holy Spirit? On one hand, we talk about honoring our bodies, but on the other hand we stuff our faces with pepperoni pizza and soda loaded with sugar. For years we have focused on smokers who are allegedly burdening the system, while we stand by enabling people to get as fat as they like. These are the ones who day after day refuse to take responsibility for their actions and are burden to our system – NOT ME!

We have a society that daily promotes the use of alcohol even though alcohol contributes to cancer, death and disease. We promote processed meats and cheese that contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure as well as cancer. We drink milk daily that is loaded with artificial female hormones. We just accept what our physician tells us and don't even pay attention to what is going on in our own body.

For years, I have been healthier than most people I know with insurance. In fact, EVERYONE I know with health insurance has something wrong with them. It's like the Doctor is looking for some way to make more money. I mean you can't make money off healthy people, now can you? And I know for a fact that Medicare and Medicaid are being charged for and paying for services that are not being provided to the patients however, no politician to date has stepped up and done something about this problem even though it's been known about and going on for years. Still, somehow I end of the irresponsible one.

I don't have health insurance because the system is broken. The GOP alternatives don't and won't solve the problem. If any of those politicians running for President (regardless of their party affiliation) really cared about solving the problem, all they would have to do is sit down and have lunch with some of the uninsured, and we would tell you how to fix the problem. It wouldn't be universal health care. It wouldn't be tax breaks or health savings plan. In other words it wouldn't be MORE big government beauracracies. It would be more about common sense instead of politics.

In 1960, President John F Kennedy, stepped up and called upon our nation to sacrifice to make our nation a better place; to leave the world a better place for the generations to follow. In 2000, GW Bush steps up and turns educating our children into testing our children, with more and more schools today eliminating physical education classes despite our children being fatter than any other time in history. The majority of people in our country are too lazy to walk a few blocks to the store. No, it's easier and faster to drive that gas guzzling SUV there and back for that loaf of bread or gallon of milk or pack of cigarettes.

As Christians, who are often seen as those who don't those who don't practice what we preach, perhaps we can change this entire health care mess by accomplishing a few things:

1) Everyone take active responsibility and participation for what you put in your body as the temple of Holy Spirit

2) In the spirit of Christian charity, stop being so critical of other people who are not as fortunate as yourself. Yes I am practicing what I preach but I do not believe that obese people fall into that category. People are obese because they refuse to take responsibility for their bodies and their actions.

3) Join together in a spirit of cooperation and change as mandated in spirit of the Declaration of Independence which declares "LIFE" as an inalienable right and demands that when a government is deemed to be working contrary to the benefit of the people it serves, it must be changed. If you do not VOTE this year, next year, YOU are part of the problem.

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