8:29 a.m. - 2007-07-06
sicko
My husband shaved his head and changed around the configurement of his facial hair and I must say he looks delicious. Sorry I can't post pictures on the blog. :(
The 3rd of July party was fun for the most part. It's always a little weird to bring together people from different parts of your world. Sometimes it works and sometimes, well, the dream of having all of your friends enjoy and appreciate each other the way that you do is just thaqt - a dream.
We saw Sicko on the 4th. Wow. I am not totally sure why I wasn't convinced of the notion of a socialized health system before. I wasn't ever totally against it but I had this fear of waiting in line for hours with homeless people in a government controlled clinic, doctors not making much money so the quality of care goes down, waiting for years for a surgery because someone in the government doesn't think you need it, etc. After seeing the film, I get the picture that it's not really like that.
I think the most interesting thing about it all is whether you believe health care is a right or a privilege. I'm not sure why I ever thought it was a privilege that is tied to your job. I believe it is a right. And now I see how that is possible. Thank you Michael Moore.
The most amazing thing that affected me is seeing the health care system in other countries such as the UK and Canada and how that awful element of stress is totally taken out of the picture. The other day for a split second, i thought I cut my thumb with a knife and my first thought was "Oh shit, I wonder how much my emergency room deductible is." I actually have great health insurance, relatively speaking. But I am always worried about how much something is going to cost when it comes to my physical health. I have been seeing a chiropractor for a month, with some positive results, and even with my minimal 10 dollar copay, i have spent over 100 dollars. Compared to a lot of people, that is very little. But it's still money I should be giving to my mother for the car loan I have been delinquent in repaying. Or money I could be saving for the car i may need to purchase soon due to some horrible rattling noise that my current vehicle's catyllitic converter or something is making.
You can't even believe the benefits they have in other countries. The taxes they pay (admittedly high) give you everything from surgeries to prescription drugs to paid leave from work for maternity. A freaking nanny will come to your house to help you with the baby basics plus housework and meal preparation!!!
I must admit that I was seriously considering a move across the pond or up north after that bit.
My favorite line from the movie was when this guy who worked for health insurance companies for years said "You didn't fall through a crack in the system - someone made that crack and swept you toward it."
According to the movie, in America, we have shorter life spans and higher infant mortality rates than most Western nations even though we are the richest and most powerful.
The health insurance companies are evil, people. Let's start a revolution.
