In 2008 nearly 300,000 North Carolina children (12.8 percent) were uninsured. The numbers are likely worse now. Does insurance really make a difference in children's health? Let me answer with a single statistic: uninsured children are 37 percent more likely to die when hospitalized than those with insurance.
We say we want our children to learn and be healthy so they can compete successfully with the world. But if they cannot see, hear, or breathe, if they suffer from obesity, diabetes, attention deficit disorder, dental caries, and infections, how is it we expect them to learn, much less compete?
Of course I am not just a health care provider; I am also vice president of the region's largest independent pediatric practice, employing dozens of workers. I was floored this year when it came time to negotiate an insurance plan for our employees. As doctors we feel we don't have the luxury many business owners exercise of forgoing health insurance for their employees altogether. But the cost this year was breathtaking, and what we and our employees got for our money was disappointing.
What I know as a doctor I also see as a business owner: The current system is failing us all, it is getting worse every year, and it cannot continue. (You can read the rest of Dr. David Hill's article here)
Regardless of the deafening sounds of anger, and the manufactured talking points, coming from the Right Wing, the facts are clear that our system is broken and that something must be done.
The Republicans are so desperate to stop this bill that some have even resorted to circulating a fake memo accusing the Democrats of telling their staffers to avoid talking about the CBO because it will not hold up to scrutiny. In fact it will.
Many Americans have become terrified of this bill based on the fear mongering coming form the Right, so I certainly hope that more doctors, like Dr. Hill, start to come forward and tell the truth about health care in this country so that the voters will know who was REALLY on their side and who was not before the next election cycle is upon us.
I wish they would have come to the forefront sooner, but then I wish President Obama had fought as he is doing now much earlier.
ReplyDeleteHe is regaining my respect now, but I have to admit, as much as I admired him and worked to get him elected, I had been losing enthusiasm because he was being too distant.
But then, so have too many in the medical profession, in the faith communities, in the support professions who care for the incapacitated.
I am so grateful that people are finally finding their voice and speaking their truth. I think a lot of it has to do with our President finally finding his own voice once again and speaking his truth and his vision. May he continue to do so on this and other critical issues.
Ironically, this lame and compromised bill may prove to be the Republicans' undoing, since it coaxed them into letting their freak flag fly, and shows, each day, what punitive, lying, authoritarian asses they are.
ReplyDeleteGo ahead, righties, and berate sick people and the children of the dead; it really makes people want to vote for you even more. Sheesh.
Great article by Dr. Hill! Now he needs to call NC Rep. Virginia Fox and explain it to her. And get ready to support her opponent for reelection
ReplyDeleteThere are only 24 hours in a day. Even the President has to sleep occasionally. He has had so damn much on his plate this past 14 months, thanks to the prior bunch. I always wonder when someone says he's not doing enough here, or too much here, or not enough there. Hey, try doing what this man has done in 14months, then complain. Hell the congress hasn't given this man squat other than grief from the Republican's. It will all come together, we just have to go about it one thing at a time. He's worked on jobs, taxes, the Wall Street BS, on and on it goes. Now its time for the health to get done. When this is accomplished or not, its' on to the next task. Then the next, and the next and on it goes. He could be POTUS for 20 years, and still wouldn't have enough time to correct the prior President's screw-ups. At least he is trying, systematically to make changes that will bring betterment for the working class. Too bad the big money people don't like it. It wouldn't be an issue if we hadn't given all the taxes up for the upper 2-3% of the wealthy. We would be fine. Let's go back to taxing the rich. Novel idea, eh?
ReplyDeleteI have to give Obama credit. I naively expected him to come in and make change happen but I did not take into account 2 big things. 1. The deliberate campaign of the republicans to derail his presidency no matter what he proposed. and 2. The overwhelming mess he inheirited from the republican administration that left him no time to learn the ropes before he had to manage a near total depression, 2 wars and a country that was not totally ready for a minority to be president. I am proud of how well he has done considering the obsticals. I hope we all get together behind him and get this bill passed.
ReplyDeleteTo Anon at 5:46........
ReplyDeleteVery well said comment!! You eloquently voiced what I have thought, but was unable to verbalize as you have done.
Thank you!!
It's time for McCain to come forward and claim responsibility for this ABORTION he put forth as VIP material for MY COUNTRY!
ReplyDeletehttp://finance.yahoo.com/news/Medicare-fix-would-push-apf-2700343586.html?x=0&.v=2
ReplyDeleteCongressional budget scorekeepers say a Medicare fix that Democrats included in earlier versions of their health care bill would push it into the red.
The Congressional Budget Office said Friday that rolling back a programmed cut in Medicare fees to doctors would cost $208 billion over 10 years. If added back to the health care overhaul bill, it would wipe out all the deficit reduction, leaving the legislation $59 billion in the red.
The so-called doc fix was part of the original House bill. Because of its high cost, Democrats decided to pursue it separately. Republicans say the cost should not be ignored. Congress has usually waived the cuts to doctors year by year.
For those who would like to read the score card on President Obama for his first year in office, I offer this list by Dr. Robert P. Watson, Coordinator for American Studies at Lynn University.
ReplyDeleteGo, Mr. President!
http://buffalobullet.blogspot.com/2010/03/mr-president-what-have-you-accomplished.html
I live in NC and I agree with Dr. Hill 100%.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, cowardly Republicans don't care about the citizens of NC. I live in the vile Patrick McHenry's district, and people are sick of him, too, to the point that the guy who is running for his seat didn't even proclaim on the fancy large postcard I received in mail yesterday that he's a Republican!
He claims to be running on the "jobs" issue, which is very problematic in this area, and says he's a mfgr...but not concerned enough that he even begins to berate those industries in NC that have offshored, instead using fear of "massive spending programs, staggering debt, and looming tax increases."
Yeah, typical Republican goon and fearmonger. Also, too, coward.
Thanks to Gryphen for posting this.
ReplyDeleteI live in NC, too, and blogged a few months back about the terrible ordeal my family went through trying to get the back surgery my underinsured son needed to prevent permanent paralysis.
I was very critical of insurance reform opponent and blue dog Dem Mike McIntyre, my representative, and he actually had the courage to call this very, very angry constituent and hear her out.
He said he was opposed to the cost of the bill and didn't think it really helped as many people as it should. To his credit, McIntyre has been a champion of community health clinics and does care about the issue. But I also think he sees the reality of being a Democrat in a very, very conservative district and realizes the only way to hang on to his seat in the upcoming election against right wing darling Illario Pantano (former Marine who was exonerated for slaughtering two unarmed Iraqis) is to cowtow to the NC teabaggers.
Here we're kind of damned if we do and damned if we don't. I'm not pleased with Mike McIntyre, but the alternative is downright scary.
Politics sucks.