It occurred to me today there is a single, irrefutable argument for nationalized, single payer healthcare. It just might prevent an epidemic. The argument that everyone gets treated at the ER evaporates when one considers that we need an immediate, proactive approach to treating people with the flu, especially if there is a new flu emerging. {Note: I'm going to call that flu Swine flu, and I really don't care whether agribusiness suffers. I recommend you get your pork from a family farmer far away from the concentrated animal feeding operations that have their pigs living in their own waste.} We do not want people who are gravely ill going to the ER. Where are the most people the most vulnerable to the flu, afterall? The hospital! We want people who are not feeling all that chipper to see a regular doctor and rule out promptly whether that person has the flu or not. We want that person evaluated and treated so that their common cold does not reduce their immunities to the extent that they are more susceptible to swine flu. We do not want the swine flu to become the next plague.
Forty-seven million uninsured people contracting swine flu does not bode well for those with good insurance. The other tens of millions of underinsured may be avoiding their doctor as well. I believe we are are now approaching nearly a third of our population who would avoid seeking treatment until their condition was grave. So what would become of our country if a third of us came down with swine flu and how would that impact the rest of the nation, those fortunate enough to have decent health insurance? People, health insurance is about taking care of someone after they get sick. Health care is about taking care of people so they do not get sick. At the end of the day, we need health care, not health insurance. Maybe we should be arguing about that alone, we want healthcare, not health insurance.
There are many people here who have vast and detailed knowledge of this issue, but I want to reach the low-info voter. I really appreciate their keen insight. But we need a bumper sticker. One to prompt the gawkers who are in awe of the agitators at the healthcare town halls to stop and think, "Wait? What would happen if those uninsured got the flu. How quickly could we contain that if they deferred seeking treatment because they could not afford to see a doctor, because they kept working because they could not afford to take a day off and simply stay home? If those people got the flu, would I get sick? Wait a minute!!!???!!! How would I NOT get sick? Who cares if I have great insurance coverage as my fever break 100 degrees and they're changing my bedsheets twice a day as they replace the saline bags needled into my arms?"
Did I scare you? Good! If these people are so easily frightened by agitators and threats of socialists, and euthanizers. Let them consider Swine Flu. Let them consider what it would be like if the flu did develop into something beyond Big Pharma's alchemy. Let them consider that a sick nation with a severe virus will be less age discriminant and they will be vulnerable too if we do not spread healthcare around. We can either share the cure for public healthcare, or we can share the disease.
Also {Channeling Sarah Palin}, any idea where Big Insurance will get the money to pay for this battle? Yes, you guessed it! If you think premiums have gone up over the past eight years, imagine what they will be like once the dust settles, especially if healthcare reform IS defeated? Do you think they will have any restraint emboldened by their victory over the people? Do you think they are going to get their pound of flesh from the 47 million uninsured? No! That's right, they're going to take it from you, the insured ones, their customers.
Dear agitators, thanks for going to the meetings and ensuring healthcare fails. Your reward for being their thugs? Higher premiums! You made it all possible. Good for you! A hero in your own mind! Way to go! It's the old adage, those who know the least make the most noise. Oh, shit! I am making a lot of noise aren't I? Well, I'm just saying. It seems to me we've gone too far down the road to turn back now. The ONLY way people with insurance are not going to get screwed over the next few years is to not have insurance, for those companies to fold, I dare say. Otherwise, those companies will be looking to you to pay the bills for their extravagant, unprecendented, all-out-attack on Congressional leaders seeking to know what the people want, as if Gallup had not already recorded 71% of people want to see healthcare reformed.
Back to the bumper stickers. I want healthcare, not health insurance. When Swine Flu emerges, will my insurance prevent my getting sick? Will Swine Flu ask the victims what kind of coverage they have before it infects them? Healthcare is the cure, health insurance is the disease.
