"Obamacare"

I find it completely fascinating how so many people in our country are anti "Obamacare," not the Affordable Care Act. It seems many have latched on to the catchy phrase and divorced its meaning.

I don't know who convinced anyone that calling the law by its proper name equated to supporting socialized medicine... but there are some who believe this.

The Affordable Care Act, no matter what name you want to call it, has some good and some bad, but it is most certainly not socialized medicine. Last I checked, socialized medicine didn't have anything to do with privately held insurance companies being allowed to step in and charge. That's maintaining a capitalist system.

There are people who like President Obama and don't like the Affordable Care Act, just as there are people who can't stand President Obama but appreciate some of what the Affordable Care Act will do for them.  This is not a simple "Obamacare is socialized medicine" situation, and I'm offended by those who believe it is. 

Health care in this country should not be about who is president, and it should not be about catchy words. Health care should not be based on which party is in office.

In my mind health care should be about a sick person going to the doctor, paying for the service, and leaving with recommended treatment.

Currently that system is not what we have. 

Some people have the above scenario and others have this one:  

A sick person checks with their insurance company to see if their doctor will even see them based on accepted rates, goes to the doctor and listens to what treatments they need but may or may not be covered by their policy, the patient then appeals to the insurance company to please allow them to have the treatment their doctor prescribed, hires an attorney to step in when their final appeal is denied because paying for the treatment would cut into the insurance company's bottom line, and the patient potentially goes bankrupt while all of this goes on, because they are forced to decide between life and money.

I would like to refer individuals who believe "Obamacare" to be socialized medicine to a book by Wendell Potter called Deadly Spin. In the book he talks about how Public Relations companies and PR executives used the words "socialized medicine" any time privately held insurance companies looked like they would have to start being accountable for their actions. 

Don't buy in to catchy phrases... educate yourself and decide on your own what the catchy phrases are masking.

Kickstarter and The Malformation of Health Care

Have you thought about ways you want to change the world?

This blog and its facebook group counterpart ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/352009698155992/)

works diligently to try and do just that.  

I've found that the more we tell our stories about pivotal life experiences, the more others learn and the more positive change we can create!

With this in mind I have decided to launch a kickstarter campaign to further share my health care journey. In my book, I discuss some of the pitfalls in the American health care system, I offer tips on struggling through the system, and offer encouragement for others to use their experiences to help create positive effective change in our world.

Please take the time to view my kickstarter pitch here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1139799717/the-malformation-of-health-care

If it strikes a chord with you, please share it so the campaign will have the potential of going viral and doing the most good.

Together we can do incredible things!!! Here's a small step :) 

Gun Control or Mental Health Care? Aurora, Colorado

The shock of today's mass shooting in Aurora, CO has reignited the on again/off again debate about gun control. Apparently last year Aurora was listed as one of the safest places in our country to live.
Then this happens, and guns are the main topic of conversation.

Is it the correct conversation though?

Might I propose that a city is only as safe as it's most mentally unhealthy and untreated member?

Folks, the kid that did the shooting was described in numerous media outlets as a "normal" 24 year old who was active in his mainstream church. So far as we know, he wasn't into gangs, or drugs, or any other lifestyle that might endanger his stability.

If this man was as he is being described, then clearly there were mental health issues lurking.

Who knows, maybe he talked to a professional at some point about his inclinations, but my guess is he didn't. People in the psychiatry world would have to report someone who was a danger to himself or others.

If we start examining how mental health is treated in this country we will see a trend. Often times when those who need mental health support look into that support, they find pitfalls.

Insurance companies have largely avoided solidly covering mental health for years. At a higher co-pay, after the correct code is entered, if a patient is referred, records that are returned to the military... Pick a hoop to jump through.

Say the person decides help is worth all the struggle that is required by a company or policy---that person needing the help may receive four or six sessions with a professional. If they need more than that, most policies will re-evaluate from that point forward but there's no guarantee they won't cut a person off. Mental health isn't a broken ankle. Some people need a few sessions to help them through a tough situation, and others need long term care.

Why isn't there a huge unstoppable uproar when it comes to caring for these people? Why does the uproar only happen when someone doesn't get help and tragedy strikes?

The Affordable Care Act is taking a step by bringing parity between mental and physical health and that's great. We as a society need to go further though and stop vilifying the people who get help before a disaster occurs.

Personally, I would much rather demystify and de-shame the policy of going to a mental health professional than watch another shooting take place.

So sure, we can keep talking about guns and gun control. I 100% agree that the right to bear arms wasn't intended to include "oozies", but is that really the conversation this tragedy should spark?

Fighting Against Health Care... And Fighting For????

Am I the only one frustrated with politicians fighting against health care continuously?

I understand those who believe the Affordable Care Act does not go far enough. I even understand those who feel the Affordable Care Act has too much government involvement. What I do not understand is the lack of other suggestions that may spark a dialogue to help improve our health care system.

Today the House of Representatives voted to repeal The Affordable Care Act... for the 33rd time. Normally at this point I would say "that's an exaggeration, it wasn't really 33, it was____." Unfortunately, there is no exaggeration in this case. On 33 separate occasions the House has wasted valuable time and money to beat the proverbial dead horse.

This latest repeal effort (again) has no chance of passing through the Senate to arrive on the presidents desk. Even if the president did see this repeal, he would not sign it. From every news source I've seen today, the general consensus is this was yet another political stunt to avoid fighting FOR something helpful... perhaps the Jobs Bill... (just a suggestion).

Rather than grandstanding, can you imagine the positive accomplishments these very powerful people could instead be celebrating?

Fine.

If everyone is so hung up on this health care law that no other bill can be considered, why not present positive suggestions to improve the bill? Fight for clear and specific ways to be more efficient and offer more security for the common man/woman. Don't junk the good and the bad of the law, work on it! Be the champion of a well cared for healthy society.

This bill, no doubt, will be massaged over the decades just as Medicare and Social Security were. Many great minds have worked on those projects. I challenge the members of the current House who continue to fight against health care to instead make their mark as the newest great minds who history will remember for helping a nation heal its people.