Slice of Life Story -Here's To Your Health

I hope I am not being presumptuous by delving into the someone elses domestic issues, but I do have some experience, be it limited, with the US health system...

I recall watching a documentary in the eighties titled ‘Don’t Get Sick in America’ The film outlined the problems associated with the delivery of health services in America at that time. Its message has remained with me through the years. My six years living in the US as a legal alien taught me a few extra things about the prevailing health system. At one point I experienced its obvious limitations. I paid $1500.00 for a few rudimentary blood tests. -Tests that would have been covered by the health system had I been home in Australia. I eventually recouped my costs because I could afford additional health insurance. I was stunned when a rudimentary consultation at a cost of $200  had to be paid up front, before the doctor would agree to see me. These events reinforced my concerns about the health system of America. It presented as a system that is not inclusive of the old, the frail, the vulnerable or the poor. I have found myself following with much interest, the long and painful journey that the US Health legislation has taken through the corridors of Washington.
Living as I do in a country that has enjoyed the benefits of a universal health program since the 1970’s, I have found the debate somewhat disappointing and ill informed. The campaign waged by interest groups such as Fox News in opposition to the proposed changes, strike me, an outsider looking in as inflammatory and squarely aimed at fanning the flames of fear. Rhetoric designed to merely scare people treats them with contempt. Informed and measured debate has been conspicuous by it absence. Words such as socialist, Marxist, communist and the totally over the top 'Armageddon' have been bandied about without a proper examination of the facts.
The implementation of the Medicare system in Australia did not condemn our country into becoming a socialist basket case, let alone a Marxist totalitarian regime where the government controlled our thoughts. Pundits making such alarmists  statements clearly need to take a chill pill!
Universal health coverage has managed to work in Australia. It operates in Canada and most of Europe, but the vocal critics of health coverage in America say it can’t possibly work in America. Not too sure why this is so. I suspect it doesn’t suit the all powerful HMO lobby and the pharmaceutical companies. They would appear to have the ear of certain politicians. Lobbying and its associated money trail remains a cancer in US politics. It’s sad when elected officials use this most serious domestic issue to settle ideological grudges This sad divide is taking place at a time when premiums and other uncovered expenses are so high that the insurance many workers obtain through their employers, does not save them from financial bankruptcy in old age.
Australia’s health system is not perfect, it does however, provide a safety net for all our citizens, irrespective of their financial circumstance. Currently debate is under way to further improve the delivery of health services across the nation. It remains a work in progress.
A caring and compassionate society must work to ensure a heatlh system is in place  and that system is inclusive, not just for the well off. I applaud the efforts of those in America who have shown the courage to persist with this course of action. I wish all my American friends Good Health!

Comments

  1. Tara28 March 2010 at 23:15

    Hear, hear! I am proud that our President stood up to the right-wing crazies and took the first step.

    ReplyDelete
  2. wlb29 March 2010 at 00:32

    I am very happy we have taken a first step. As teachers, I am not sure we are doing a very good job teaching children to become discerning adults. All to many people believe anything they hear.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Aimee29 March 2010 at 02:39

    "Informed and measured debate has been conspicuous by it absence."

    This is what has bothered me the most throughout the entire health care process... I'd have loved to hear what both Dems and Reps had to say about the actual merits (or downsides) of the legislation. It would have made me a more informed citizen. However, the partisan politics in America right now are insane and our elected representatives are too worried about losing their jobs.

    It's refreshing to hear your perspective on this topic!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lennye29 March 2010 at 03:40

    Alan you give an insightful look into this issue. Personally(you know that conservative thing I've got going on), I'm not sure. However, I've seen my stepmom struggle to pay for her cancer treatments. Since her cancer is only treatable with an experimental drug, insurance refused to pay. She had to come up with $1,500 per shot!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular With Other Visitors

Writing Opposite Poems

Image
 O pp o s ite  P oem s In his book, ' How To Write Poetry,'  Paul Janeczko presents the idea of opposite poems. Paul suggests they could also be referred to as antonym poems. This is wordplay and it's fun to try. Here are some examples Paul provides to help us see very clearly how these short little poems work. I think the opposite of chair Is sitting down with nothing there What is the opposite of kind? A goat that butts you from behind Paul Janeczko You will  notice the poems are written in rhyming couplets. They can be extended so long as you remember to write in couplets. Paul shows us how this is done. What is the opposite of new? Stale gum that's hard to chew A hot-dog roll as hard as rock Or a soiled and smelly forgotten sock You might notice that some of Paul's opposite Poems begin with a question. The remainder of the poem answer the question posed. Opposite poems are a challenge, but it is a challenge worth trying. Not every thing has a
Read more

Writing About Reading - Reading Reflection Journals:

Image
UPDATED February 2022 Writing in response to literature can be a great way for students to organize their thoughts, explore what they think, and generate ideas. One of the strengths of writing in journals is that it allows students to capture all of those great ideas that generally float off into the air during the discussion.  Journal writing can also become drudgery if students are asked to write too often, given little choice or inspiration in what to write, or if they simply don't have anything to say. While some students eagerly share their impressions about selections they have read in class discussions, others are less comfortable and keep their thoughts to themselves. In an effort to encourage all students to think more about what they read and confidently share their observations and opinions, some teachers are turning to the reading reflection journal and are gaining insights they never anticipated.  The Value of Reflection Journals   Journals assist teachers to gain i
Read more

Learning How to 'Zoom In' When Writing

Image
It is important for young writers to understand that not all parts of a story are equal. There are parts through which a writer moves quickly, and important parts where the writer slows down and lingers a while. This is where the writer might intensify the action or reveal the character’s reactions in greater detail. Young writers need to know that this is a deliberate strategy on the part of the author. The author consciously zooms in. The writer uses a magnifying glass to view a part of the story more closely; to focus on a moment and to slow down time. When an important part of the story is enlarged upon, it   is a signal to the reader, that this part of the story is important. The strategy of ‘zooming in’ goes by many names: ‘exploding a moment’ ‘magnifying a moment’, ‘hotspot’ ‘snapshot’, ‘adding detail’ or ‘slowing the action.’  What ever the name, the idea is the same. The author writes in a way that expands a significant part of the story with the intention of drawing t
Read more

Answering Questions Posed by Young POETS

Image
UPDATED, May 2020 As a frequent visitor to schools I have the great pleasure of working with groups of young, enthusiastic poets and their teachers. When I arrive in a classroom, young poets are often pre-loaded with questions, and most keen to have them answered.  I try to answer as many as I can, but we frequently run out of time, and the poetry caravan moves on to the next classroom. So I am here to answer some of those questions -right here, right now. So here goes: When you were little did you love writing? The short answer is yes. I have always enjoyed words and language. I can't recall a time when I wasn't doing some kind of writing. When did you write your first poetry book? I have had poems published over the years, but it wasn't until 2014 that I had an entire book of poems (an anthology) published. When I looked back through all my notebooks I realized I had hundreds of poems from which to choose. So, 'Searching For Hen's Teeth-Poetry From The
Read more

Slice Of Life Story-The Trials Of A Left Handed Writer

Image
Amazingly I learnt to write using my left hand. An achievement against the prevailing beliefs of the day. My very first teacher saw it as her mission in life to ‘fix’ the poor, wretched little boy suffering from what she clearly diagnosed as left handed disease. She must have thought, 'This child must be re formatted! If he remains left handed he will be forever condemned to writing in a scrawl that no one will be able to read. Ugly hand, ugly hand.' ...They tried to say it couldn't be done, it mustn't be done. They took the pencil out of my left hand and placed it in my right hand. It felt unnatural. It felt weird. It was not right. More to the point it was not left. I was not about to conform. At least they didn't try tying my hand behind my back. Watch me I said. I may be an oddball, left handed scribbler but I am a determined oddball. I mean how boring would the world be if everyone wrote with their right hand? So I dug my toes in –and my hands to
Read more