Health insurance reform. Health care reform. Public. Private. Options. Obama. Insurance profiteers. Socialized medicine. Single payer. Single payer? Single Payer.
It was 2002 or 2003, in the Cameron Highlands, in Malaysia. I was sitting around a campfire with my friend Yuki and Emily. I was fascinated with this German guy while Emily was cornered by the Europeans. They were talking about, of all things, whilst sitting around a beautiful campfire, with Gil (the guesthouse owner) singing American songs with his acoustic guitar, health insurance. How stupid health insurance in America was. I glanced over, listened in for awhile and shrugged it off. Health insurance was the farthest thing from my mind at that time and really, I didn't know enough about it to argue.
Even now, I'm still not entirely sure what all the above words really mean - but well, with only a few days left to 31 - and with my ladies healthy, but showing signs of age - I care. And I feel like its urgent for me to know and to care.
While President Obama is clear on what he means by a public option and what he hopes to stop - health insurance companies denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions, families going bankrupt because they can't afford medicine or medical care - I would rather hear him explain the benefits of a single payer healthcare system. I would rather him throw his support behind real change.
The United States National Health Care Act, H.R. 676 was introduced by Rep. John Conyers and the the more I learn about it, the more it makes sense. I actually want to get involved (yes that's right, I'm wearing a shocked look on my face). So here are a list of sites I'm currently reading -
Healthcare-Now!
The HR 676 Blog
John Conyers' Website
More to come.
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