In the pursuit of happiness?

christinaincorporated:

Derek trains and handles dogs. He’s brilliant at it. Dogs respond to him. He can read their body language. They connect. It really is neat to watch. It also happens to be one of our most substantial sources of income.

So, when he re-injured his knee a few weeks ago, we worried. The next step down this road is a total knee replacement. Our future suddenly seemed uncertain. If Derek can’t walk, Derek can’t work. Our fears were compounded by the fact that Derek has been “uninsurable” since a young age because of those pesky pre-exising conditions. We pay for all of his medical expenses out of pocket. All of them.

Today a lovely receptionist at an ortho office ran my debit card for $900. Derek’s knee has a few more years, we hope. Today was shots of some lubricant that will pad his joint and cortisone.

Im thankful he can work. He can be productive. He can do what he loves.

Im also keenly aware that many Americans can’t afford to seek treatment when they need it. $900 is a small fortune to the average household.

Our health care system has been broken for a long time. It keeps people sick. It kills people. And the politicians in bed with insurance and drug lobbyists benefit the most. Not the people.

This is a system that practically denies its citizens the ability to pursue happiness. How can a sick person be made whole if they can’t choose their doctor, their treatment, or their ability to work versus being disabled?

We, as a people, need to demand better of our government. Would we allow corruption in our own families, small-buisnesses, or circle of friends?

No.

Then why do we accept this is the way things are in Washington?

Thankfully we dodged this bullet. Thankfully we can afford to pay 20k a year to doctors and drug companies.
Thankfully we can work and support ourselves.

But what about those who cant?

What about people whose HMOs dictate, essentially, if American citizens will live or die? What about public hospitals that band-aid a problem rather than fixing it? What about the people on the margins?

32 Notes/ Hide

  1. kennyvee reblogged this from justblamechris
  2. sparkgrrl658 said: ding ding! it also drives me mad whenever i see people on here in other countries complaining they can’t see a doctor immediately or whatever. hey, here in the US i can’t see a doctor at all, so STFU. we need care, not insurance to make $.
  3. thatfriendlyblackguy said: This is what worries me. Sending everyone to an ER doesn’t work…and the spiraling costs of doing that helped to get us here. And greed, in part. And people abusing the system. *sigh*
  4. justblamechris posted this