| Health care has reached the crisis point in our | | | | computerized. Then there are the doctors who |
| country. Rising insurance costs are placing | | | | become red flags. Some embrace their dark |
| untenable burdens on workers and employers | | | | secret of unlimited income, rather than |
| alike. Millions of Americans can't afford any health | | | | remembering their oath to do no harm to those |
| insurance. Poor Americans receive Medicaid, but | | | | who suffer and need relief from pain. |
| too many experience inferior medical care. Also, | | | | Government, at times, has been a red flag |
| lots of health care providers and doctors don't | | | | because it is influenced by the powerful insurance |
| want to accept Medicaid payments, which | | | | corporations, hospital conglomerates, |
| attempts to place limits on medical charges. | | | | pharmaceutical companies, and medical lobbyists. |
| Retired Americans depend upon Medicare to meet | | | | Why can't government be more sensitive to the |
| medical needs, but there are serious gaps and | | | | needs of a majority of Americans buckling under |
| limitations in the coverage. Middle class retired | | | | the strain of our health care crisis? |
| citizens can't afford to pay for the care available | | | | Face Feelings: |
| in Nursing Homes or Long Term Care Facilities. | | | | Apparently, the insurance industry, medical and |
| Many of our hospitals are poorly run, have high | | | | hospital associations, the pharmaceutical |
| mortality and infection rates, and are in fact | | | | companies, and our federal government are afraid |
| terrible places in which to die. The quality of our | | | | to try a new and more responsive health care |
| health care in this nation seems to be totally | | | | system. I assume they don't want to lose money, |
| dependent on one's ability to pay. But prescription | | | | power, or influence. It makes me angry to sense |
| costs, doctor visits, mental health services, and | | | | they refuse to face their own dark secrets. |
| surgical care are starting to place a huge financial | | | | They claim a national health care system would |
| burden on all of us. | | | | decrease the quality of health care by taking |
| The rich are well cared for, the middle class | | | | away the profit motive. Of course, they avoid |
| experiences inconsistent care, and the poor have | | | | facing the fact that the profit motive is precisely |
| mostly inadequate care-based upon what they | | | | the cause of our health care crisis. It is sad to |
| get in our emergency rooms. | | | | think that CEO's of these corporations are making |
| Unfortunately, too many doctors and hospitals | | | | six figure incomes off the suffering of more than |
| have become so busy that human emotions, | | | | 47 million Americans who don't have any health |
| compassion, and sensitivity have become lost in | | | | care coverage. How do you really feel about that? |
| the shuffle. Too often, pills, computers, and | | | | And why do our political and business leaders |
| specialized machines have become substitutes for | | | | seem so reluctant to look at the pros and cons |
| the health care professional's time and attitude of | | | | of national health systems in Canada, the |
| tender loving care. It is time that we do | | | | Netherlands, England, Germany and other |
| something positive to reform are whole health | | | | European nations? Can we forgive ourselves for |
| care system. | | | | thinking, believing, and pretending that our health |
| Now that we have been honest and open about | | | | care system based on profit is better than theirs? |
| the problem, let's go to the next steps on The | | | | Admit Powerlessness: |
| Emotional Recovery Card. (EMC is my unique life | | | | We as individuals are powerless to change the |
| coaching approach to personal and social change.) | | | | system by ourselves. We remain at the mercy of |
| Stop and Think: | | | | the insurance companies who cancel our coverage |
| Let's stop approaching health care from the point | | | | because we have AIDS, Cancer, or some other |
| of view of one's ability to pay or as some simple | | | | expensive and catastrophic illness. |
| commodity at the whims of our market | | | | We can't seem to budge certain hospitals that |
| economy. Health care should become a basic | | | | have turned medical care into assembly lines for |
| human right. So, let's stop and think more about | | | | beds, and patient charts, rather than a haven for |
| that. | | | | love, compassion, and healing. Many of us are |
| Face Triggers: | | | | powerless to change the medical profession and |
| We need to face our red flags, and see the | | | | pharmaceutical industry, which say the market |
| private health insurance industry for what it really | | | | economy must determine the price for all health |
| is: a business that seeks to make a profit from | | | | care costs. At times, we can become hopeless or |
| healthy people who don't need it very often. | | | | apathetic about professional politicians who are |
| These corporations just keep striving to reduce | | | | dependent on political contributions from the health |
| coverage for "pre-conditions", and they lobby | | | | care industry to get the money they need to |
| against legislation to extend national coverage to | | | | stay in office. |
| the sick, poor, and elderly. | | | | I will complete our discussion of healthcare reform |
| Some hospitals are red flags, because they are | | | | in my next article: The Dark Secret About |
| corporations who profit from becoming more | | | | Healthcare Part II. |
| specialized, bureaucratized, mechanized, and | | | | |