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Random is the word I would use to describe
Sep. 4th, 2009 06:32 pmSo.
It has been DISTURBINGLY quiet here the last two weeks. On the one hand, it's nice being done in the afternoon. On the other, I get so worried about the business and job market, that i get kinda twitchy having all this free time. Can't win, eh?
~
I've been thinking a lot about health care, in light of the recent travesty-disguised-as-debate, but also because I am in a parallel field to human medicine, just purchased my first real own-it-yourself-and-not-just-because-school-requires-it health insurance, and am disgusted with the direction that our national health and health care is going as well as most of the media coverage of the 'debate'.
I just read this article, How American Health Care Killed My Father, (Published Sept 2009 in The Atlantic) and it rather blew me away. In a good way because he pointed his experience out as no more than that, did not place blame on the typical players, and gave extremely interesting examples of how we could fix the status quo. If only our elected officials could see past the health care lobbies and do it, we stand at a moment where real change is possible. ( quote from the article )
In fact, the suggestions he makes at the end of the piece are exactly the health care regime I provide for my dog-- who is much more efficiently and completely covered than most humans I know. Veterinary clinics exist in the free market. They will quote prices, sell you care packages, and let you make an informed decision on the price and quality of routine care you pay for out of pocket. He has insurance to cover catastrophic events; hit by car, GDV, cancer, etc. And I save to cover the larger routine bills, like dental cleanings under general anesthesia (the equivalent of his health savings account).
And, while I don't necessarily believe that health care should be wholly a free market commodity, it works for veterinary medicine where we provide care for the companions who live in 63% of American households-- 88 million cats, 74 million dogs, 13 million horses, no small number of patients. It's an interesting scale model of the system he suggests.
It also shows the pitfalls of such a system, when people *can't* afford enough care for their loved ones. These are also topics he touches upon but would need to be examined further.
I dunno. It made me think. Feel free to discuss. That's enough deep thought for me for the night.
I'm going to have another glass of wine and watch some Leverage (Yes, I started it, damn Netflix and 'watch instantly' options), Castle (because deep down, we all ♥ Nathon Fillion), or Star Trek ToS (because, goddamnit, I want to see the movie again but it's not out on DVD).
Happy long weekend!
It has been DISTURBINGLY quiet here the last two weeks. On the one hand, it's nice being done in the afternoon. On the other, I get so worried about the business and job market, that i get kinda twitchy having all this free time. Can't win, eh?
~
I've been thinking a lot about health care, in light of the recent travesty-disguised-as-debate, but also because I am in a parallel field to human medicine, just purchased my first real own-it-yourself-and-not-just-because-school-requires-it health insurance, and am disgusted with the direction that our national health and health care is going as well as most of the media coverage of the 'debate'.
I just read this article, How American Health Care Killed My Father, (Published Sept 2009 in The Atlantic) and it rather blew me away. In a good way because he pointed his experience out as no more than that, did not place blame on the typical players, and gave extremely interesting examples of how we could fix the status quo. If only our elected officials could see past the health care lobbies and do it, we stand at a moment where real change is possible. ( quote from the article )
In fact, the suggestions he makes at the end of the piece are exactly the health care regime I provide for my dog-- who is much more efficiently and completely covered than most humans I know. Veterinary clinics exist in the free market. They will quote prices, sell you care packages, and let you make an informed decision on the price and quality of routine care you pay for out of pocket. He has insurance to cover catastrophic events; hit by car, GDV, cancer, etc. And I save to cover the larger routine bills, like dental cleanings under general anesthesia (the equivalent of his health savings account).
And, while I don't necessarily believe that health care should be wholly a free market commodity, it works for veterinary medicine where we provide care for the companions who live in 63% of American households-- 88 million cats, 74 million dogs, 13 million horses, no small number of patients. It's an interesting scale model of the system he suggests.
It also shows the pitfalls of such a system, when people *can't* afford enough care for their loved ones. These are also topics he touches upon but would need to be examined further.
I dunno. It made me think. Feel free to discuss. That's enough deep thought for me for the night.
I'm going to have another glass of wine and watch some Leverage (Yes, I started it, damn Netflix and 'watch instantly' options), Castle (because deep down, we all ♥ Nathon Fillion), or Star Trek ToS (because, goddamnit, I want to see the movie again but it's not out on DVD).
Happy long weekend!
