It's been a busy week for me, and I'm pretty well toast.
It started with 3 dinners out this week, 2 relatively stressful days at work, a 5 hour tour of the beach cities with Alejandro and Marcela (friend/fellow MCL'er and his wife from Argentina), and the most miles I've ridden on the bike in any week since my hand surgery. Plus, there's tomorrow's ride, into Whittier, which will consist of the first significant hills I've ridden since my hand surgery as well.
But what really put me over the top, was the spirited conversation over coffee, after one of those bike rides this week. It was about US health care. [My favorite topic.]
I couldn't believe it, when one of the participants stated he didn't think health care was a right. I was surprised because, one, I obviously don't feel that way, and two, I just can't believe there really are people out there with so little compassion for their fellow man.
His reasoning was, he didn't think he should have to pay for the health care of someone who was fat, didn't exercise, smoked or whatever. Well, I can sort of understand that, but what about the person who isn't fat, exercises regularly and has never smoked, but still gets sick? [That does happen you know.] Is that person also not entitled to health care, simply because he's poor, and can't afford to pay for treatment?
[note]I wonder if he realizes, if he has health insurance, he is doing just that. That is helping to pay for the health care of those fat smokers who never exercise.[/note]
And what about the individual who loses his job, and can't afford the exorbitant health insurance premium, his company was previously providing? Or even worse, his company goes bankrupt, or just stops providing health insurance because of the cost, and COBRA isn't an option, and he is unable to purchase health insurance at any price, because of a preexisting condition.
Are those people just out of luck? Should they be left out in the cold to die, or required to spend their life savings, to the point they lose their home, have to declare bankruptcy and become destitute, in order to receive care from the state?
Is this how the richest country in the world should treat its citizens? Have we absolutely zero compassion? The rest of the entire free world, and even most third world countries don't feel that way.
The US is singular [among OECD countries] in its approach to health care, treating it as a privilege and a commodity [much like an automobile], provided only to those who can afford to pay for it. The US is the only country in the world where you have to declare bankrupty, become destitute or become a criminal, before you are entitled to aid from the government.
I just find it hard to believe anyone in good conscience could feel that way about their fellow man, and still live with themselves. But much to my chagrin, I have learned there is at least one person who is that selfish, and unfortunately there are likely many more.
It started with 3 dinners out this week, 2 relatively stressful days at work, a 5 hour tour of the beach cities with Alejandro and Marcela (friend/fellow MCL'er and his wife from Argentina), and the most miles I've ridden on the bike in any week since my hand surgery. Plus, there's tomorrow's ride, into Whittier, which will consist of the first significant hills I've ridden since my hand surgery as well.
But what really put me over the top, was the spirited conversation over coffee, after one of those bike rides this week. It was about US health care. [My favorite topic.]
I couldn't believe it, when one of the participants stated he didn't think health care was a right. I was surprised because, one, I obviously don't feel that way, and two, I just can't believe there really are people out there with so little compassion for their fellow man.
His reasoning was, he didn't think he should have to pay for the health care of someone who was fat, didn't exercise, smoked or whatever. Well, I can sort of understand that, but what about the person who isn't fat, exercises regularly and has never smoked, but still gets sick? [That does happen you know.] Is that person also not entitled to health care, simply because he's poor, and can't afford to pay for treatment?
[note]I wonder if he realizes, if he has health insurance, he is doing just that. That is helping to pay for the health care of those fat smokers who never exercise.[/note]
And what about the individual who loses his job, and can't afford the exorbitant health insurance premium, his company was previously providing? Or even worse, his company goes bankrupt, or just stops providing health insurance because of the cost, and COBRA isn't an option, and he is unable to purchase health insurance at any price, because of a preexisting condition.
Are those people just out of luck? Should they be left out in the cold to die, or required to spend their life savings, to the point they lose their home, have to declare bankruptcy and become destitute, in order to receive care from the state?
Is this how the richest country in the world should treat its citizens? Have we absolutely zero compassion? The rest of the entire free world, and even most third world countries don't feel that way.
The US is singular [among OECD countries] in its approach to health care, treating it as a privilege and a commodity [much like an automobile], provided only to those who can afford to pay for it. The US is the only country in the world where you have to declare bankrupty, become destitute or become a criminal, before you are entitled to aid from the government.
I just find it hard to believe anyone in good conscience could feel that way about their fellow man, and still live with themselves. But much to my chagrin, I have learned there is at least one person who is that selfish, and unfortunately there are likely many more.
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