The wonder of health insurance

I have health insurance. Woohoo!

I had minor surgery yesterday and I did not have to decide to stop paying my mortgage to maintain my health. I did not have make a plan for which bills I would no longer pay. I did not have to delay the surgery until my relatively small issue became a major one and I had no choice but to make my way into an emergency room for treatment. All because the surgery was covered by my health insurance plan.

I have health insurance. Woohoo!

And I do not think I'm special. Alright that's a lie, I think I'm very special. But not special in the sense that I deserve health care more than anyone else. I do not feel that having a decent job means that I deserve health care. I do not feel that having a job job means that I deserve health care. I do not feel that if my employer did not provide health insurance, but that I could afford to privately pay for insurance and I had no pre-existing conditions that I would deserve health care more than anyone else.

This is where I start on health care. So, yeah, I suppose I do think that health care is a right, not a privilege.

According to a CNN report, medical bills contribute to 60 percent of bankruptcies in the United States. In 2006, there were 47 million Americans without health insurance and it was estimated that 22,000 people died because they did not have health insurance (see Dying for Coverage from Families USA). How much worse have things gotten with the last year of extreme economic turmoil? The Urban Institute has a report that puts the estimated $1.6 trillion cost of the Senate's health care plan in context (Beyond the $1.6 Trillion Sticker Shock).

This morning I signed a petition asking the House of Representatives to stay in session in order to pass health care reform bill (they're quickly approaching their August recess). I know some people are seriously doubtful about the impact of online petitions, so if you really want to make sure your Representative understands you want him or her to stay in Washington to get real reform, call. You can call the switchboard at the Capitol (202) 224-3121 or you can look up your Representative's office number online by entering your zip code in several places, including the Congress Merge: Online Congressional Directory).