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Greetings!
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I missed you all last month. Did you miss me?
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| Embracing CHANGE
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"I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about
that. Then I realized I was somebody." -
Lily Tomlin
Too upset to write
I have only missed two issues of this newsletter since March
2004. One was August 2007, after my house was broken into. The second time was
last month. In 2007, I was too upset to write. I found myself in a similar mood
when last month rolled around.
All year, I have been writing about change. The last couple
of months have been an interesting time for our country. The health care discussion has been a study in how people react
to change.
In the interests of full disclosure, let me give you a
little background. As a sole proprietor with existing conditions and a weight
problem, I
would like to find health insurance like my parents had, with a low premium
that would cover only the worst of situations, such as hospitalization. I can
afford an annual visit to the doctor, and I haven't needed any prescription
drugs in the last eight years (I know I'm lucky). But a doctor once wrote in my file that I had
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) without giving me so much as a
lung function test. Clearing up my record is close to impossible.
By the end of July, I had watched way too much cable network
news. I found the reactions to the health care situation unconscionable and I
was taking the "debate" too personally. Watching the disrupted town
hall meetings was causing me stress. Because I do not have health insurance, I
take very good care of myself, so I pulled back from the fray.
Change and the health care "debate"
I'm now able to look at the subject a bit more
dispassionately. Here's what I noticed. Remember the formula I showed you a
couple of months ago?
Dissatisfaction x Vision x
First Steps
> Resistance to Change
People who are happy with their coverage, will have a low "dissatisfaction" factor. If the "vision" is
not presented clearly, there will be additional resistance. I doubt that many
people in this country are low on the dissatisfaction scale. It is in the best
interests of all of us to have a healthy population. Insurance premiums and
health care costs continue to rise for all of us. Dissatisfaction will rise as employers reduce the amount they are able to pay for those with coverage through their employer. If more people lose jobs
and find out how much that COBRA policy is, the frustration with the current system will skyrocket.
I think the bigger problem is in the "vision."
Neither the House or Senate has come up with a clear plan,
largely because of the legislative process in this country. The President set
the agenda, but allowed Congress to come up with the plan, which is still in
process. The lack of clarity has made it possible for those who do not want
universal health care for whatever reason to interpret the proposals in ways
that benefit their cause. The same can be said for those who want universal
care.
Fear of change
For some, the health care discussion is an opportunity to
express the fear they feel for other changes in the country. As one woman at a
town hall meeting said, "I want my America back." I'm not sure what
America she is talking about, but I don't think her view of this country is similar to mine.
Finding common ground
I am not going to accuse anyone of ulterior motives, but
people who are unwilling to find common ground do the process no good. When change has to happen because of an
untenable situation, the best place to start is on those aspects we can agree
on. Do we want to eliminate people being turned down for pre-existing
conditions? Do we want to make sure everyone has basic care? Do we want to
reduce the dollar amount on malpractice suits? Are there areas that most of us
can agree on?
Change is inevitable. I pray that Congress will find a way
to protect the health of all of us and communicate that vision to us. I also
pray that people who fear these changes will look for common ground, rather
than simply being "against" any change.
If you are interested in getting accurate
information about this debate, please check www.factcheck.org.
You also might want to check out the T.R. Reid's article on health care in
other countries.
There are a number of good solutions out there. |
Guadalupe Herrera at San Antonio College was the first to know that July is National Ice Cream Month. She wins a $25 gift certificate from Nicavid's. 