Government Health Care: Dying For Coverage
By Wyatt Earp | August 1, 2008
So, you want the government to manage your health care, huh? Remember this article the next time Hillary Clinton tells you that universal health care is the way to go.
After a rough couple of weeks, Barbara Wagner finally got some good news Monday.
Last month, she found out that her lung cancer, which had been in remission for about two years, had come back. After her oncologist prescribed a cancer drug that could slow the cancer growth and extend her life, Wagner was notified that the Oregon Health Plan wouldn’t cover the treatment, but that it would cover palliative, or comfort, care, including, if she chose, doctor-assisted suicide.
I’m sorry, Ms. Wagner, but the state just doesn’t have the funds to cover the life-saving drugs, but if you feel like killing yourself, go right ahead. We can cover that. Oh, and as an added bonus, your death will allow some other poor schlub to get the drugs he needs!
Then, on Monday morning, a representative of the pharmaceutical company called Wagner and told her it would provide the medicine for free. Wagner said she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so she did both.
Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that an eeevvviiilll drug company stepped up and helped this woman after the government told her to get bent? Wow, that’s a story that should lead every single national newscast! *Crickets*
Don’t worry, though. State-run health care is only concerned with the best interests of the patient:
“Treatment of advanced cancer that is meant to prolong life, or change the course of this disease, is not a covered benefit of the Oregon Health Plan,” said the unsigned letter Wagner received from LIPA, the Eugene company that administers the Oregon Health Plan in Lane County.
“We can’t cover everything for everyone,” said Dr. Walter Shaffer, medical director of the state Division of Medical Assistance Programs, which administers the Oregon Health Plan.
“Taxpayer dollars are limited for publicly funded programs. We try to come up with polices that provide the most good for the most people.”
So, the government will decide who is important enough to save and who is expendable. Are you folks comfortable with that?
Consider the case of Randy Stroup, a 53-year-old Dexter resident who recently found out the Oregon Health Plan wouldn’t cover mitoxantrone, chemotherapy for prostate cancer.
“My perspective is, if it works it works,” he said. “What is six months of life worth? To me it’s worth a lot.
“This is my life they’re playing with,” he said. (H/T – The Register-Guard)
Look, the idea of universal health care is a wonderful one. I mean, who wouldn’t be for adequate, professional care for every American? In practice, however, this idea is wrought with problems, like this one from Oregon. Hell, look at other government-run plans: welfare, V.A. hospitals, etc. Are you satisfied with their oversight? Now imagine the government running the heath care of every American?
Quick story: A friend of my brother-in-law lives in Canada, the Utopia of universal health care. She is three months pregnant, and called to schedule an appointment for an OB-GYN. The system is so backed up that they told her she could get into the office in six months! Do the math. She’ll be able to get checked out about the time her water breaks.
Unfortunately, or for those who hate me, fortunately, I have been plagued with health problems. Most of them are minor – high cholesterol, allergies, asthma – but I have to take an antibiotic every day to avoid getting cellulitis. That has sent me to the hospital three times in the last five years. Personally, I like the fact that I can see a doctor of my choosing at the time of my choosing, without getting tangled up in red tape. But that’s just me.
If you want universal health care, by all means, ask for it. I like the system we have in place now.
Topics: Politics | 11 Comments »
August 1st, 2008 at 7:50 am
The same thing has happened with private insurers as well so I don’t see it as a knock on UHC so much as I do on Oregon for either not funding it enough or having an adequate appeals process in place to fight such denials.
My HMO is one of the good ones and I’ve never had any sort of problem with getting approval for medications or procedures, but I know others who have had problems with their insurance.
Then again, the true cost of my HMO is over $6,000/yr for single coverage and $18,000/yr for family coverage so I guess quality comes at a cost.
The scary thing is that those prices are what Welborn HMO charges a 1000+ employer for a group policy.
If I had to buy coverage on my own I’d probably be uninsurable due to my artificial heart valve and pacemaker.
August 1st, 2008 at 8:05 am
My uncle, who lived in British Columbia, (don’t know how many times) made his way to Seattle for treatment for Parkinsons. He was lucky enough to have money to do it.
I heard a similar story earlier in the week about a gentleman denied chemo & other cancer treatments, but offered assisted suicide and hospice via Oregon.
I cannot tell you how much that pisses me off. Think of the people told they would not be cured, that with determination and even faith, were healed. The brain-trust running Oregon’s system would decide they weren’t worth the risk.
August 1st, 2008 at 8:46 am
VA Medical Centers, been there done that for my hearing. TOTAL bullsh*t. NEVER went back. F-the Gov’t. and it’s health care. You think HMO’s are bad? HA!
August 1st, 2008 at 9:37 am
It is sad there are so many people out there too ignorant to educate themselves on what universal heath care means and the inevitable price they will pay for it is.
I wonder if there was “universal heath care” if they would waste the money on Ted Kennedy, “He gets it because he is a Senator” and Barbara Wagner “does not because she is a peon?”
August 1st, 2008 at 10:28 am
The problem with our current system is quite simply that good insurance is unaffordable for anyone who isn’t wealthy.
Unless their employer pays for most of it, of course.
Most people with employer provided plans just don’t realize how expensive it is.
Here’s a link to my county’s employee benefit page with the monthly premiums for the insurance that’s offered.
http://www.vanderburgh.org/auditor/ins_pol.html
Multiply those numbers by 12 for a yearly figure, and you’ll find it’s fucking scary how much good coverage costs.
August 1st, 2008 at 11:18 am
Most families have a limited amount of money to spend so they make hard choices and choose to spend their money on food, cable TV vs. no cable TV, Target vs. Nordstrom clothes, chevy auto vs mercedes, etc.
Most of our elected officials refuse to make these hard choices. So they try to provide everything for the so-called weak in society. It is generally the same llazy people that get welfare, free day care, free school lunches, free Septa bus passes, Section 8 housing vocuhers, etc. And they get it forever!
We should set a lifetime maximum benefit per individual! Once thet reach that – tell them to go the F away and never come back.
If we did that there would be enough tax money to provide some sort of basic health insurance benefit to everyone.
August 1st, 2008 at 7:18 pm
“We can’t cover everything for everyone,” said Dr. Walter Shaffer, medical director of the state Division of Medical Assistance Programs, which administers the Oregon Health Plan.
“Taxpayer dollars are limited for publicly funded programs. We try to come up with polices that provide the most good for the most people.”
No money for you ma’am. We need 38,000 a month for this illegal alien that is on dialysis for his kidneys. Also he is incarcerated for sexually assaulting some children. so add the cost of him in incarceration in too and I think we could have taken care of this ladies problem. But, NOOOOO we have to take care of those illegal aliens first!
True story, we have an illegal alien in state prison right now that is there for sexual assualt, and rape of a child and we are providing dialysis for his kidneys!!!
Wyatt, get me the duct tape fast!!!
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:48 am
I have purposely stayed out of the conversation to let the rest of you vent. After reading the post, y’all know my feelings on the subject. Insurance is expensive, I know, but the alternative is worse, in my opinion.
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’
Ronald Reagan
Enough said.
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:15 am
My husband is a disabled vet. His health care is through the VA system. We’ve learned medical and pharmaceutical care wrt his medical problems. We have also been studying herbal medicine. The care my husband receives at the VA is horrifying at best. Medical care for prisoners is great. Medical care for people who have served this country is awful.
As for me and the children, our medical insurance isn’t too bad. I just wish the hospitals and offices would actually submit the stuff to the insurance company. We got a call from a collection agency wanting money for a bill from a visit a couple of weeks ago. We never received the bill and it was never sent to the insurance company. It went straight to collections bypassing everything else.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:07 am
Rick – And truer words were never spoken.
Kim – Medical care for prisoners is great. Medical care for people who have served this country is awful.
And that is a complete and utter disgrace.