AN INTRODUCTION...
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Retired, but not too retiring, a work still in progress.
I enjoy many things: Music (making it & appreciating it), balance (within myself, in my relationships, and in my world), Tai Chi (practicing & teaching), cooking (especially for friends), Dancing, Karaoke!, teaching, mentoring, reading, some crafts...and trying daring things on my birthdays.
I've been single, married, now widowed, but not forever.
I thought I was straight; found out I'm not; am happy about it.
Believed in God, then god, then Universe; now happy not knowing and just being stardust until or unless I find out differently.
Health care: Wouldn't it be great to have some for EVERYBODY?
Ronni Bennett, about whom you already know from this blog, just keeps getting better and more on point, IMHO.
I hope you'll read her article, "Elders Lobbying for Healthcare for Others". Here's the opening excerpt:
President Bush had this to say about health care:
For the president of the country with the worst record on health care in the
developed world to make such a statement is awful enough,
but I think the greater giveaway is that it tells us a lot about
what rich people think the rest of us are worth."
Saul Friedman, Newsday writer and long-time journalist, wrote this post recently, from which I take this opening excerpt:
Both of these articles contain links to other reports and articles related to this issue. Here is one from the New England Journal of Medicine, penned by David Blumenthal, an unpaid advisor to Obama.
Ronni calls us to action! So go do it! Here is a link to Obama's Change.gov site where you can tell him what & why.
Then go to these websites and tell your Congress people.
[Note, some of your Congressional leaders will be new in January; mark your calendar and write to them them. ]
The US House of Representatives
The US Senate
Ronni, thanks for the story, the links, and your encouragement to step up and say my piece.
So, what's on MY mind? Well...
I'm 61, and in pretty good health, though I have some high blood pressure and I don't even want to know my cholesterol numbers. The most chronic problem is pain in my lower back (from a VERY old injury), and some stuff that may be the beginning of some arthritis. I have a very high threshold for pain, and don't need anything except periodic generics like aspirin or ibuprofen.
Which is a good thing, because my insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield, has already disallowed everything that could possibly be associated with my skeletal structure and/or that old injury. In order to comfortably afford the payments, I had to choose a pretty big deductible, and because the treatments I would most like to use and from which I could benefit (chiropractic, massage, Rolfing, etc) are disallowed, I rarely meet the deductible, and so I don't use the services.
Also, there is a $400 annual allowance for 'preventative' care. I tried that out last year. My doc decided that I should have a colonoscopy. No real symptoms, just age related. So, I didn't ask a lot of questions, I just made the appointment and went. Well, part of it all was covered: the $400, of course, but then 50% of this charge and 20% of that charge and yada yada yada, until I was out of pocket almost $2500, AND HAD NOT MET MY DEDUCTIBLE for that year. Better not get the flu!
So, I have health insurance. I can use it for broken legs or heart attacks. In four years I can dump it...and will have enriched BCBS by about $15,000 for basically nothing. What a joy it is.
And the very worst thing, to my way of thinking, is that I'm actually betting with the insurance company that something WILL happen. I'm betting AGAINST myself. Wow! How's that for confidence in the laws of attraction? Crimenentlies!
So, yeah, you bet; I sent my letter to Obama. And I've plugged my calendar to remind me to send similar letters to my 'leaders' in January. Now, you go do it, too.
Posted by Kate on December 11, 2008 in Aging, Current Affairs, Politics & Political Opinion - mine & others, Social Commentary - Mine & Others' | Permalink
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