Blog#2 Economics of Healthcare

Is healthcare a right or a privilege? In my opinion, it is both. I think that everyone should have access to healthcare however, I do not feel that it should be handed out without a cost. I feel that people who are in our country illegally should not be given free care until all US citizens have the same care available. I feel that this especially applies to the baby-boomer generation who are in between retirement age and the age where Medicare becomes available. There are too many people who are paying taxes and legitimately contributing to this country that are not able to go to the doctor for routine check-ups or seek care when they are ill. For a healthy 60-65 year old female with no preexisting conditions, the cost for private health insurance runs $500-$700 per month. For "catastrophic care" insurance which covers major services (no doctor visits, prescriptions, etc.) the cost is $250-$400 per month. This is ridiculous! It is also frustrating that young women who get pregnant and do not have the means to pay for the prenatal care or care for themselves or the child after it is born is given Medicaid to cover the costs. Why are we essentially rewarding irresponsible behavior when women are dying of breast cancer and many other diseases because they have no means to pay for care and do not fit into the criteria for Medicaid? I have a friend who lost her mother because of this terrible situation. She died at the age of 42 from breast cancer.

Today, I participated in an event called Give Kids a Smile. At this event, local dentists and hygienists volunteer their time to provide free dental care to the underprivileged children in the community. I spent my entire day providing free dental care to children with decay more severe than you can imagine, gum disease at the age of 6, and fear that could bring you to tears. I am an active participant in many events such as these but I have to say, sometimes it is a trying experience. On my way out, I was behind two of the families with children who received care and I was taken back when I saw them hop into a Chrysler Pacifica and a Ford Expedition, respectively. These were nice, newer vehicles that are in the $30,000-$45,000 range! Frankly, I was disgusted. If you can afford to spend money in this way, you should be able to pay for your child’s dental needs. I find this behavior exploitive and selfish. While I do not know these families or their circumstances and should not judge them, I cannot help but to feel like my fellow volunteers and I were taken advantage of. Many of the families were tremendously grateful and truly valued the services they were receiving, for that, I was glad to be of service and for them I will continue to use the talents that the Lord blessed me with to help those in need.