Healthy Questions

     Okay, just to get it out of the way, I'm not going to talk about Russia. I'm not. There's enough of that going on already. And if there's one thing I pride myself on, it's being able to tell when my friends and neighbors (that's you!) are sick and tired of hearing about a subject, and just want to look at pictures and videos of cats falling off of counters or otherwise hurting themselves.
     Because cats are terrible. And we are right to enjoy their pain.
     Then again, you can go anywhere to find videos of cats being injured, so it wouldn't really add to the conversation if that's all I did here today. So whatever am I to do? If I'm not going to ramble about Russia, or post cat videos, what else is there? Am I wasting everyone's time here? Are you, at this very moment, reading a series of questions to which I have no answer? Will you get to the next paragraph only to find out it's all gibberish I used to fill the page and keep you from immediately realizing I've played some sort of prank on you? Will you then, as your day passes, come to see it as a metaphor for what's happening to our crumbling health care system?
     Nah, I wouldn't do that to you, and to prove it, here's the answer to each of those questions, in order: You'll see. There's lots. No. No. No. No.
     Speaking of health care, though, I did see something the other day wherein a person who voted for -sigh and groan (inserted because I'm still not ready to write or even read that name)- says he hopes -sigh and groan- doesn't repeal The Affordable Care Act (the ACA). Well then... I suppose he voted for this man because he assumed him to be a liar? Or because he didn't listen to, say, anything this man said? I don't know, but if it's the first suggestion, I fear he's not going to be your type of liar, sir. And if it's the second, I can only express my envy in how you managed not to hear this man.
     And here I'm going to use an appropriately not smooth transition to talk more about health care, and address the real question looming foremost in my mind: if we (and here I use the term 'we' loosely) do repeal the ACA, what do we (again, so loose) think is going to happen? There seems to be no plan to replace it once it's gone, so what's going to happen?
     I know a number of people believe that unregulated privatization is the way to go, and the market will regulate itself, and so on. Which would be great, and makes total sense, as long as you ignore the entire history of human experience. If you can do that, then privatizing human necessities is a great idea. It's kind of funny how Libertarianism and Communism have the same fatal flaw, which is failing to account for just how much a greedy, thoughtless, selfishly short sighted punk can get away with.
     Also, I think it's necessary to point something out to all of those people who, for the last few years, have been complaining about having to pay for other people's health care: you already were, and you will continue to do so. Let me explain.
    People who don't have and can't afford healthcare generally ignore any health issues they develop for as long as possible. Which means these issues get worse and worse over time, until finally the person being affected ends up in the emergency room of a not-for-profit hospital, racking a huge bill they can and will never pay. Emergency procedures, surgeries, you name it. But those doctors and nurses are going to get paid. Replacements for the supplies used to care for them will be purchased by someone. Who do you think has been footing that bill? Where do you think that money comes from, ultimately? Who do you think is going to pay for them in the future?
    Whilst you ponder that, consider also this morsel:
    Why do you think it's easier to get coverage for preventative care than for diagnostic care?
     Here I find myself embarrassed to admit I feel the need to point out that we can't just refuse treatment. It's such an obviously wrong choice from both moral and practical viewpoints, but we all know someone who would suggest it, and think it the perfect and final solution.
     Wait. Where have I heard those words before?
     Finally, I want to leave you with one more question, this one asked by one of the wisest and most compassionate people I've ever met: how many countries with universal health care have chosen to go to a privatized system?
     Stay healthy, ya'll.
-John