Health Care - A Moral Obligation
The health care debate is getting very interesting if you are a social scientist, a researcher, reporter, or political pundit trying to figure out who has the most influence in Congress. For the rest of us who are looking to our elected officials in Washington to fix our current broken health system…these are scary times.
For those of us who currently have good paying jobs and who are lucky enough to have access to quality health care coverage, this debate may not seem too important. But ask the folks who recently lost their jobs and now regularly visit Harvesters to obtain free food to give you input on the importance of what is happening in Congress. Thousands of college educated, experienced and loyal employees of big and small businesses who have recently lost their jobs and their health insurance are now going to Harvesters or a local free food kitchen in the area to obtain food. Many of these families with pre-existing health conditions may never be able to purchase health insurance again. Losing most of their assets and declaring bankruptcy is clearly in their future if one member of the family becomes seriously ill.
While as Americans we currently spend more on health care than any other county by a very large margin, no other citizens in any other industrialized country in the world has to worry about having access to health care. Providing affordable health coverage for every citizen is a moral obligation that every industrialized country in the world has found a way to implement…except America. Now is our time to fix this… contact your elected officials in Washington, DC and let them know that all Americans deserve affordable, quality health care.
For those of us who currently have good paying jobs and who are lucky enough to have access to quality health care coverage, this debate may not seem too important. But ask the folks who recently lost their jobs and now regularly visit Harvesters to obtain free food to give you input on the importance of what is happening in Congress. Thousands of college educated, experienced and loyal employees of big and small businesses who have recently lost their jobs and their health insurance are now going to Harvesters or a local free food kitchen in the area to obtain food. Many of these families with pre-existing health conditions may never be able to purchase health insurance again. Losing most of their assets and declaring bankruptcy is clearly in their future if one member of the family becomes seriously ill.
While as Americans we currently spend more on health care than any other county by a very large margin, no other citizens in any other industrialized country in the world has to worry about having access to health care. Providing affordable health coverage for every citizen is a moral obligation that every industrialized country in the world has found a way to implement…except America. Now is our time to fix this… contact your elected officials in Washington, DC and let them know that all Americans deserve affordable, quality health care.
About Me
Steve Roling
President/CEO
Steve Roling is the President/CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City. Each week he blogs about issues that inspire him as we work toward eliminating barriers to quality health.
Comments
Thanks Steve for continuing to write about this health care obligation. I get so irritated when I am discussing health care reform with friends and coworkers and they tell me we just don't have the money in this country to provide health care for all Americans. How did we, as a society, get to the point where health care became a privilege and not a basic human need? Food, Shelter, and basic health care needs are deserved by every living person. Other countries figured that out many years ago...I am not sure why it is taking us so long to arrive on this notion that all people are worthy of food, shelter, and healthcare. I am a community social worker and I can't find coverage for some of our teens and young adults because they have preexisting conditions like obesity, diabetes, HIV, mental illness, and how can I forget the biggest punishment of all... simply being born poor! We can do better. Once again Steve is right…contact your elected officials today and tell them that we deserve better in the richest country in the world!!!!!
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