My personal story

As I write this my oldest daughter is awaiting heart surgery. She has been down a long difficult and painful road, mostly due to the effects of Type One diabetes, which has included 8 years of dialysis and finally a kidney transplant last year. The heart issues that have recently developed have now also added to the critical nature of her condition.

As I wait for news, I think of the recent cuts in services to her medical care when she needs it the most. She has Medicare and Med-i-cal, which for the most part has been adequate, though not as effective as it could have been, due to waiting until things reach a critical mass. California now is adding to that policy of waiting, until unable to wait any longer, by cutting many medical services. To me it seems so in error to especially cut certain services, as in the medium to long term it is actually way more costly.

In our case, Tess just received notice that no eye care, footcare, dental, or psychological support will now be covered. Anybody familiar with diabetes of any kind understands how extremely important these services are. If problems in these areas are not treated early ... the costs rise dramatically, as does the suffering of patients. Amputations are not cheaper than having timely care by a doctor dealing with foot ulcers. A broken tooth is fixed cheaper than trying to save a life from an infection easily picked up by a person on anti-rejection drugs. The total effects of functional blindess are more costly than lazer surgery to repair retina detachment ... and so on and so on .... even the lack of counseling for someone who daily faces death may cost more as people may lose to will to properly follow instructions for care, and even might need to be institutionalized due to mental breakdown.

When will sanity be restored to how we prioritize medical care? In a capitalistic society, where profit is such a part of our medical care, at least follow the money. Why make policies that only add to the long term costs. It just doesn't make sense for us, or future generations.

Nipping problems in the bud is always cheaper in the long run, and it is our children's future that does matter. The facts are really clear, so why are these decisions being made.

In California, the first things in this current budget crisis to go have been in medical services, education, and programs to help the most needy in our society. Making cuts in services to those who most need them is not very nice for a compassionate, and supposedly moral nation. We won't tax sodas, but we will cut eye doctors for diabetics? We won't add taxes to gasoline, or alcohol, or other harmful substances, but we will cut education funding to our children? We won't tax luxury items, but we will cut basic preventive options for all our citizens.

I remain shocked and confused, and personally scared. Profit should no more be a part of health care options, than it should be a part of our fire, or police departments.

Are we only going to put out fires, or protect people from crime, if the profit is of a certain level? Surely that is not civilized behavior. Make profit off yachts, make profit off thousands of other products. Don't make profit off the sick and dying. Where is the desire for cures? To keep the population chronically, and critically sick is what brings the biggest bottom line! There is no motivation in that. That can not be right.

A 'not for profit' universal health care option is the only option I can see for a truly civilized nation