A friend from Va. Tech responded to my post last night. He shared a personal experience that I think speaks to the challenge of this issue. He spoke so well, I think the wisest thing I can do is just let him say it… So, Peter?
Jim, I really think you should find some more controversial topics to cover on this blog. You’ve really been playing it safe here. 🙂
I’m also torn on this topic, Jim. We went through a time of not having enough money to handle health care costs for our family even though we both have college degrees and I was teaching full time (being a teacher was pretty much the main reason we couldn’t afford it!) so I have a little personal experience on “the other side of things.†Most of the people who are making the decisions and the people that are most upset about it have never had to make the decision whether or not to visit the doctor or get the medicine because of money or insurance coverage. Not everyone that struggles financially and has inadequate health care is a lazy bum taking advantage of welfare and government services. On a teacher’s salary in NC, our family qualified for medicaid services for our kids! I know the government is not the answer to all of our woes, but I think that many people screaming for no health care reform are a bit out of touch with reality in some ways.
I don’t have a solid opinion, but I fall somewhere in the middle wanting a balance of government intervention combined with accountability combined with private charitable help combined with good old-fashioned get out there and work to provide for your family. I guess that means I would be a lousy politician since I want a little slice of everything.
But seriously, Jim, let’s hit some serious topics soon…like puppies vs. kittens. Hope you’re enjoying the snow!
The experience of Tracy and I our first five-ish years of marriage was very similar. I had a college degree and was working with a church, and for at least a few of those years, was WELL under the poverty line. Please know that my wife and I are hard workers and responsible, I even did a stint as medical test subject for extra money, that is dedication eh?  That is where we were.
I don’t believe it is the government’s responsibility to step in because the job I felt God was leading my into wasn’t supplying enough income. But I do still very much feel for those that are in the position that I no longer am in.
What are your thoughts on this?
Peter said...
1So Jim, do I get a cut off of the money you make from this blog post? 🙂 Glad you enjoyed my comment and found it useful. I got all worked up in the last election about everything and was very vocal on my viewpoints. The past several months have been so incredibly busy for us that I haven’t really even taken much notice of the debate going on. I know I should pay more attention, but I just don’t have the time. Hopefully, it will all work out for the best, though I know that there will be people either way that will be completely outraged with the results!
02/6/10 6:42 PM | Comment Link
Mike said...
2Hey Jim,
Excellent issue with all the political buzz right now! I, as well, see the very difficult decision that this presents for many Christ followers in the U.S. today. How do we balance taking care of all of those around us? And, is it the church’s responsibility or the government’s? As I read your posts and comments I had a few thoughts. This is an issue that I think about frequently since I work in the healthcare field.
First, I believe that the U.S. has one of the best healthcare systems available. Although, it does have many problems. I am not saying that it doesn’t need some help, but, all in all, it gives good care. It is in a consumer-driven society which pushes it to give the best care possible. Those with insurance get the benefit of this system, but in all of my experience, those without insurance have never been rejected.
Second, what is being promised to all Americans is Medicare or Medicaid. While this provides decent coverage for those currently without insurance, the Medicare that we will have in government healthcare is a much different and more watered-down version. However, the argument that proponents of government healthcare present is that, whether it is good coverage or not, at least all would have insurance. But, as I have already pointed out, insurance is not the gate-keeper to healthcare.
Third, and possibly the point that worries me most, is that I have heard many nurses and doctors at my workplace say that they would be very tempted to pick another profession or to go back to school for a different degree if the government healthcare bill passes. I am concerned because America is already in a healthcare professional shortage and this potential sudden drop in healthcare workers will result in more wait time and, possibly, less-experienced healthcare professionals.
Again, I love the honest discussion that is going on here. I just thought I’d add the perspectives of some medical personnel to the ongoing debate. I would love some opposite or different opinions on this issue. Let me know what you think Jim! Excited about the book debut.
02/8/10 6:46 PM | Comment Link
Jonathan said...
3Hey Jim,
So was baldness one of the possible side effects of the medical trials? Just kidding!
I definitely agree with Stephen’s comments from the previous healthcare post: We as a church allowed the government to take over / hand over our responsibilities. Think about how so many hospitals started out as church charities, and are now operated by large for-profit corporations, heavily controlled by gov’t and insurance companies, both of whom have set up the system to be very anti-competitive. (Much of our salaries goes to pay insurance and medicaid, who then pay medical facilities that also pay huge amounts for insurance and taxes!)
There are a lot of reasons why this happened, but one of the biggest factors has been the steady reversal of our country’s founding principle that the government that governs least governs best: that decisions on everyday affairs should be made by everyday people (as locally as possible).
Steadily, we’ve seen that revolutionary ideal replaced with the mindset that any national problem should be addressed on a national governmental level. This sets off a cycle of continually disconnecting us individuals from being involved in feeling/solving/preventing our own common problems. To use a healthcare analogy, this is like deciding to treat the symptoms rather than cure the disease (which, incidentally, also usually sets off its own vicious cycle of expensive medical interventions!)
I believe the real solutions to making healthcare affordable and accessible lie in: the church rising up to take its place in caring for the needy, while getting government out of the healthcare business, while also addressing insurance regulations to allow for better competition and different policies. These are all interconnected on so many levels, that it often seems hopeless. (That’s where this God fellow comes in, right?!)
On top of the above list, and among other things, we also need to deal with the fact that we’re inflating our money supply into thin air, which means that prices for everything increase, while most of our salaries don’t…
So, in a way, the healthcare crisis is in itself just one symptom of the disease of ever-increasing reliance on government to make us all “feel better”.
That’s my two cents. There’re a few more bucks where that came from, but I’m trying (failing!) to keep this reasonably brief.
02/9/10 11:53 PM | Comment Link
Rob said...
4I’m jumping in so late, the pool is nearly closed…
But I think it’s good to remind people to be aware — that just because they have good insurance that not everyone else does. Even people with insurance through their work often are paying big for it.
Anytime the government seeks to be a solution it’s a bit scary as well. With no discipline in our spending, some changes are going to have to happen. Healthcare spending by the government is already huge and I’ve seen Medicare and Medicaid (as both government organizations) do not even function well together — the same information needs to be duplicate shared with both for people that might have both programs for certain life situations.
So, in summary, I like to remind people: 1) hey, don’t be critical and recognize that many good amd (often) working people have a tough time with this; also 2) some potentially positive things might be done that cost very little (to encourage more competition, etc).
Even as a “middle class” person, I fear that if taxes dramatically increase, would that force dramatic life changes for some families that they do not want… only to pay their tax bills? That would be unfortunate against the liberties of those families.
03/17/10 1:41 PM | Comment Link