[at-l] Peek inn to a seriously off-topic veer

[JPL]

You said: "Health care in the United States is not fair.  Most folks would like it to be more fair but don't think the government is the right entity to make it fair."  
You surely don't think the private insurance companies can give us "fair" do you?  If that's the case, why haven't they done it long ago (and in which case we wouldn't be having these discussions).   Medicare doesn't exist because the insurance companies were "fair" in providing medical insurance for older folks (old and expensive!).  

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: rcli4 at comcast.net 
  To: Ken Bennett 
  Cc: at-l 
  Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 9:50 PM
  Subject: Re: [at-l] Peek inn to a seriously off-topic veer


  Just a couple of facts....

  Cobra is now based on income and ability to pay.  John McCain cosponsered the bill with Ted Kennedy.

  It is currently against the law for any hospital to refuse care to any person that presents themselves to any emergency room in the United States.

  Health care in the United States is not fair.  Most folks would like it to be more fair but don't think the government is the right entity to make it fair.  

  If you want government run health care go to the V.A.  My kidney problems were caused by the government.  They are covered by the V.A.  I pay out of pocket because I can't get decent care from the Govt.  Anyone that knows me, knows how tight I am and knows how unlike it is of me to spend my money.

  My kidney seems to be fixed and I am seriously considering a foothills trail hike the first of November.  I think I am going with 2 of them left wing liberal nuts that I call friends.

  Clyde


  --- Original Message -----

  From: Ken Bennett 

  To: at-l 

  Sent: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 01:04:49 +0000 (UTC)

  Subject: Re: [at-l] Peek inn to a seriously off-topic veer






  On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 8:52 PM,  <rcli4 at comcast.net> wrote:






    I hiked 10 days in May with a guy from Canada.  He made 52,000 a year, took home 27,000.  He was dumbfounded that I could decide to put off my kidney surgery until I returned from an undetermined in length hike.  In the same position, he would of had to work around their scedule.







  You know I love you, Clyde, but yeah, this is life we're talking about.

  Given the choice between having the surgery when you want and having the surgery when they want, of course anyone would choose the former. 





  Given the choice between having the surgery when they want, and not having it at all, because you don't have insurance, or your insurance won't cover it, well, which would you choose? 

  I am very lucky that (so far) I am employed and my employer provides pretty good health coverage, of which they pay a large percentage of the cost. They say there should be no layoffs this year. But if there are, and I am "lucky" enough to continue my coverage under COBRA, the monthly cost of that will make your Canadian friend's tax rate look like nothing at all. And given all my pre-existing conditions, there is no way I could ever get, let alone afford, private health insurance on the open market.





  Until I turn 65, of course. The magic number. You keep the gummint outta my Medicare.

  Yeah, this is about life.

  --Ken 







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