ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.

I have been reviewing the National Health Bill H.R.3200 and I find that it is way too long to read and understand.

MY OPINION is that we need and must have a National Health Plan.

Why, well my wife has had no health plan of any kind for over nine years. Nine years ago is when I had to retire with congestive heart failure. In my case I was able to apply for and receive 100% disability from Social Security. I was 64 at the time. Prior to nine years ago, Claudia was covered under my companies health plan.

The company I worked for had a short term disability plan and then a long term disability plan. Under those plans I continued to be covered under the companies health plan. At age 65 I automatically was covered by Medicare.

I took the precaution of buying a supplemental health plan, which has paid off big time, since I have been in the hospital at least 18 times in 9 years. I think it has been more than that, anyway, virtually all of my medical bills have been covered. Up until two years ago I had to pay for all of my prescriptions.

Now Medicare part D screws me over. Medicare part D is the so called prescription drug program administered by Medicare. But the law was written by the Drug Companies, not by our Senators or Congressman. So the drug companies are making money hand over fist, while us common folks continue to get screwed. I won't go into the over 50 different Part D Prescription PLans that are available in Georgia alone. Trying to pick one that will cover all of your medicines is difficult.

Anyway, back to Claudia and no Health Insurance. We could not buy health insurance for her at any price because of her pre-existing condition. That condition being post-polio syndrome. It is incurable and degenerative. There is no cure and there is no research being done to find a cure as it is terminal, period.

In the past two years Claudia has had to go into the hospital twice for emergency surgery. The first time was in 2006 for pancreatic disease and gall stones. She damn near died from it.

The second time was in March of this year for a broken leg, her femur was snapped in two and required a metal rod be inserted in order to repair it.

In both cases we had no money to pay the hospital and doctor bills. Each time the bills exceeded $70,000. We had applied to Medicaid several times and each time were told I receive too much money from Social Security, so tough luck. With the money that both I and my wife recieve we are not able to pay all of our bills each month, so go figure.

Here are some questions that I think are the Right Questions:

1. DO WE NEED A NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN?

2. SHOULD THERE BE A GOVERNMENT SPONSORED PLAN?

3. CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO HAVE A NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN?

4. IS FREE SPEECH GETTING IN THE WAY OF DEVELOPING A HEALTH PLAN?


gahillbilly

People we need a National Health Plan.

Your questions and comments are welcome.