Let's Have a Conversation!

There have been many heated arguments about health care reform, some of which I have been involved in. I have to be honest, I don't always understand the sometimes, violent opposition.

I encountered this same opposition with a friend of mine and our "discussion" went on for hours over email. Let's be clear, I was angry, not because he did not agree with me but because he resorted to name calling and insults to make his "point". Tempted as I was too return the favor, I knew that would just demean the value of what I know and believe to be true, and that is something I refused to betray.

There is no point in going over the details of this particular conversation, suffice it to say that he was sure it would be the downfall of this great country.

A week or two later, my family and I went to spend the day at his house with his family at the invitation of his wife. It was quite a pleasurable day with lively conversation about the kids and the anticipation of the upcoming start of the new school year. The kids swam and splashed in their pool to their heart's content. The adults enjoyed a beautiful array of snacks displayed by our lovely hostess. Our esteemed host laughed and joked as he mixed batch after batch of amazing Mojito cocktails for us.

Our hostess began telling us about her nightmare experience in trying to get affordable health insurance for her family. She ran into issue after issue trying to solve this problem. The host also joined the conversation about how ridiculous it was to try and buy health insurance because of perceived "pre-existing conditions". I have to admit, I was slightly amused at his aggravation, not because I wished these troubles upon them, but because I found it amusingly ironic after our previous email "conversation".

I retold our host the story about how my niece was denied insurance coverage after she donated her kidney to my husband 5 years ago. He was very vocal about how ridiculous it was to deny coverage to someone who had given so much of herself. He turned and looked at me and pointed
his finger at me and said, "that is something that needs to change!" Smiling, my only reply was, "of course, I agree!"

If you get right down to it, we all want the same things; opportunities, fair treatment, freedom and help when we have hit hard times. We all want the ability to care for our families, and friends when they are sick and in need. But this shouldn't come at the cost of the stability and security of our families.

Our out of pocket health care expenses are extremely high and our access is limited at best. If you are fortunate enough to have the ability to absorb these costs then I am not speaking to you, unless of course you care about someone other than yourself.

This country has the resources, the technology and the need to care for all of its citizens. We can prove this to ourselves and the world by making it happen with the exchange of new ideas and a united purpose. There is no logical reason that the downfall of any American family should be caused by the expenses or lack of quality medical care.

Just change the conversation from left against right to person to person.