Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness and Health?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

Recently, a dear friend posted on Facebook a comment about the need for health care reform.  Her comment was motivated by a personal loss  A friend's son lost his life because his family couldn't pay for life saving surgery.  Her comment elicited a lively dialogue.  When she called for solutions, few seemed to be expressed.  Motivated with a desire to understand how we might better address the health care needs of our citizens, I decided to research some possible solutions.  Normally, I avoid discussions about religion or politics.   The subject of health care reform transcends both topics.  I believe there is too much at stake and I'm ready to stand up and be counted.

Joe Messerli wrote this articlehttp://www.balancedpolitics.org/editorial-solution_to_health_care_crisis.htm He offers 20 solutions.   While I may not agree with all of them,  he is solution oriented.    In an article on the web site Alter Net, Guy Saperstein helps define the problem and outline some possible solutions in " Medicare for All: The Only Sound Solution for Our Healthcare Crisis".  http://www.alternet.org/story/46550/?page=1 

Saperstein cites some important information from the World Health Organization regarding the quality of medical care in the United States when compared to other world countries.

"The World Health Organization ranks healthcare systems based on objective measures of medical outcomes: The United States' healthcare system currently ranks 37th in the world, behind Colombia and Portugal; the United States ranks 44th in the world in infant mortality, behind many impoverished Latin American countries. While infant mortality in the United States is skewed toward poor people, who have rates double the wealthy, the top quintile of the U.S. population has infant mortality rates higher than Canadians in the lowest quintile of wealth.

Out of 30 developed nations, life expectancy in the United States ranks 21st; life expectancy in the United States is 4.6 years less than Japan, 2.1 years less than France and 2.6 years less than Canada. The United States has fewer physicians, nurses and hospital beds than most developed nations. In the United States, 28 percent say it is "difficult to get care"; in most European countries, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, 15 percent say that. In terms of continuity of care (i.e., five-plus years with the same doctor), the United States is the worst of all developed nations. By every objective measure, the United States has a second-rate healthcare system."

Socialized medicine is not perfect and is often criticized but considering how poorly the United States is doing in comparison to other countries, moving toward a type of socialized or single payer system for health care costs would seem to be a step in the right direction.

In order for our citizenry to support such a radical reform, a paradigm shift in our thinking is necessary.  As long as we remain polarized over even the most basic issues, this will be an extremely difficult task.  We must guard against the infighting that so often separates us so that we can work together for a greater good.

In many of the arguments against social programs, the recipients of said program are often attacked and criticized.  Someone is always able to search out an individual or group that may be guilty of abusing the system unfairly.  They become the poster child of why greater social programs should not be undertaken.  This only divides us further.  There is no perfect solution.  We will always have individuals who abuse whatever system is in place.  The failings of the few do not negate a greater moral imperative.  How can we ignore the countless people among the over 40 million citizens who are uninsured who need medical care, sometimes care that could save their lives and are not receiving it?  Some are dying as a result of the current lacks in the system.

Our country was founded on some basic ideals, ideals for which we must continue to strive.  Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Life is first and foremost.  Lives must be our first priority.  We can't justify our lack of concern or involvement by arguing that some people are unfairly abusing Medicare or their private health insurance.  We must do whatever we can to communicate our concerns to our elected officials.  We must rise above our differences and value the lives of others as we do our own.    That value is not dependent on income or salary. It's a value that does not rest within personal merit.   A single mother earning minimum wage is no less worthy of health care than a bank president, corporate executive or congressman.  We need to acknowledge that and move toward correcting such inequity.

Recently, the Humane Society in my town of Vancouver, Washington was able to raise 1.2 million dollars in donations.  Meanwhile, Vancouver's non-profit Share program which serves Vancouver's homeless has to eliminate many of their services because of lack of funds.  I believe in the humane treatment of animals and I'm very glad that the Humane society was blessed with such generous donations.  I also believe in the social and moral value of caring for the homeless.  I find it sobering that generous donations have not also found their way to Share. Are homeless people less worthy of care than homeless animals?   I continue to believe that the greatness of any society can be measured by its treatment of the "least of these."  We are only as strong as our weakest link.  The ideal toward which we much strive as American's remains.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."