I know that I am so fortunate to live in the United States of America. I appreciate everything that we have – freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, access to clean drinking water, American Idol and Desperate Housewives.
What I do not understand is why there are people without medical insurance in our country. After reading Manda’s post, Prayers for My Brother at In Random, I wept. I wept for Manda’s brother, her father, and for her. I wept because her family – and every other family in this great country – should receive the necessary medical care without the worry about finances. Benign brain tumors are scary. Family members need to spend with the patient, not with the hospital’s accounting staff.
There are families in communities across the country, heck there is probably a family in my neighborhood, wondering how they are going to pay for their prescriptions and other medical expenses. Should they choose to heat their home, put food on the table, or pay a medical bill? For a moment in time, not too long ago, I was afraid that my family would be – or could be – in that situation. Our insurance was about to expire, and our only option was Cobra. Yikes! That is ridiculously expensive. Thankfully, The Texan accepted a position with a great company which offered us outstanding medical insurance as part of his benefits and compensation package. I know first hand that it is tough to sleep at night wondering what you will do if something bad happens and you do not have medical insurance.
I still haven’t decided how I feel about Obama’s health care bill; or how I feel about living in Massachusetts and being required to have medical insurance – regardless of out-of-pocket expense – thanks to Mitt Romney. I know that we should all be entitled to adequate and affordable medical insurance, I simply haven’t figured out how every individual can pay for it.
Do you currently have medical insurance? Is it paid for in part by your employer (or your spouses)? Has there been a time in your life when you did not have medical insurance?
Lindsey says
Growing up, until Massachusetts changed the laws requiring all children to be insured, I had no insurance. It sucked. If I was sick, I had to go to the ER. If I was injured, I had to go to the ER. I couldn’t go to the dentist. I thank God that my son has insurance through my husband’s work. I can’t even imagine what would have happened if I had gotten really sick as a child.