End of life counseling

Yesterday, I experienced end of life counseling in a discussion with my father, other family members and my father's doctor. It was horrifically sad, but very humane. The doctor was very kind and sensitive to everyone, and understood the complex nature of the discussion. This was no death panel, this was not the government deciding health care for an elderly person. It was a kind way of ensuring that if a patient does not want to continue on in a life with pain and suffering they can make an informed, intelligent choice about whether to have CPR or other measures taken to bring then back. This is what Medicare provides for, and everyone should be entitled to this, to be shown forms for living wills and health care proxies so this is all set up for them, it saves everyone time, energy, money (especially if you have to get we evil lawyers involved in the process) and most importantly emotional pain.

I am so tired of listening to the illogical debates and discussions. What a great loss today for the debate in Ted Kennedy's death. We need someone to step up with a great voice who can frame the issues and move us past emotion and into facts and logic. Unfortunately, however much I admire President Obama, he is not leading us, he handed us over to the wolves in Congress, to the hissing lobbyists and pharma companies and insurance companies to cut up the spoils they will invariably end up with. How sad for all of us that these issues continue to be politicized.

Can't we all just get along?

In watching the news the last several weeks with all the fake protestors attending the town hall meetings about health care, I keep thinking about Rodney King asking the fundamental question, "Can't we all just get along?" can't we agree to disagree? Can't we respectfully listen to others, not call them names, not make fun of them? What I am seeing reminds me of first grade, or sometimes seventh grade, but not any better. We can think someone is an idiot but do we really need to tell them? Isn't that just appropriate civil discourse?

When the Republicans had control of the House, Senate and the White house, they didn't get it done, just like they didn't pass a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, ban gay marriage, or any other fundamentalist deprivation of personal rights. So what are they complaining about now?

they have a right to complain, just as I do, but not in the way they are doing it, in part because it is dishonest, in part because it is disrespectful, and because when it is all said and done, it is un-American.

The Bogus Health Care Debate

For the last six months, I have experienced the pathetic American health care system up close and personal while my father has been ill.  The whole system is failing.  I listen to the alleged debates by our legislators and think that it is all nonsense.  They all have health insurance, the best in the country.  So many people have nothing.  But you know what?  None of it matters.  Even if you have the best insurance, if you have no continuity in your care you have nothing.  If you have no family advocating on your behalf, you have no chance.  It is not that the doctors, nurses, technicians, don't care.  It is that the system is designed so that they can't care for the patients adequately.  They don't have time.  Their hands are tied by the financial constraints placed upon them by regulations, by insurance companies, and it is killing us.  I can no longer stand to hear this fiction that we have the best health care system in the country.  We don't.  Our infant mortality rate is lower than any other industrialized country.  Our life expectancy is not increasing at the rate of other industrialized countries.  When you look at the objective evidence our system is failing.  

We need change now, major change, not incremental change.  This is not an abstract argument, it is based in fact.  I also think about those who claim that the government should not be running our health care system, but it is already.  Is it any better or worse than all the insurance companies running it?  I do not trust either, but I trust the insurance companies less.  The financial incentive to deny care is too great.  

Also, for years I have been watching as I and so many others do not start businesses and do not take risks for fear of losing health coverage for me and my family.  Wouldn't our economy be that much more dynamic if people knew that no matter where they worked they would have health care for themselves and their families?  Wouldn't more people start businesses?  Wouldn't it give more people the option to stay home with small children?  Wouldn't our health in this country be better and, thus, make workers more productive?

Our system makes no sense and is not helping us stay healthy.  We take more medication per capita than any other industrialized country.  The drug companies own us.  We are constantly subjected to bizarre advertising that names diseases and conditions that we've never heard of.  Millions and billions spent so we will request these drugs from our doctors.  Millions more spent to influence our doctors to prescribe these drugs.  

Several years ago I read a comprehensive biography of Eleanor Roosevelt's first years in the White House and her efforts on Social Security which in its original form included nationalized health insurance.  All the same arguments were made then that are being made now.  We need an Eleanor Roosevelt to champion this cause.  Unfortunately, Hilary Clinton couldn't get it done in 1993.  Maybe Michelle Obama can do it in 2009.