As the director of the VMC Foundation, it's not my job to weigh in on our nation's health care reform debate...but as an engaged member of our community, it is my responsibility to have an opinion.
So, when Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and PACT (People Acting in Community Together) asked me to speak at their news confrerence last week, I did so, on my own time, and stuck to the facts. Mostly.
But it's really HARD keeping one's cool when VMC's Emergency Dept. is so crowded, or when I see VMC's Dr. Lee and Dr. Helman work so hard for culturally appropriate end-of-life care, only to have it distorted by those crying "Death Panels!" Can somone please put a tent over this circus?
Anyhow, if you can't see YouTube at work, send this to your home email. Finally, here's a letter in today's Mercury News from my good friend Gary Ater who blogs about issues of the day at American Chronicle:
Health care crisis must be addressed
It's very disturbing that there are so many Americans misinformed about the country's health care issues. Every day, more than 2,000 Californians alone lose their health care coverage due to either losing their job or they just flat can't afford it. At the current rate of increase, for the average family of four, in less than 10 years, annual health care coverage will cost over $22,000.
The "Palin Dunces" who talk about "death panels" and "forced euthanasia" or say that we're going too fast (after this issue has been in discussion for the last 60 years) don't deserve low-cost health care. But, if we do nothing, we will still pay double for their health care in America's hospital emergency rooms.
Gary Ater
Santa Clara
Monday, August 17, 2009
Health Care Reform: Just the facts, Wilder...
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2 comments:
Two points:
1) Tell the whole truth, Chris. Tell us how many of those ER visits are drug-seekers and malingerers who come in every day, sometimes every shift? How many drunkards, how many methamphetamine abusers? How many in police custody and from the jail? You're eager to denounce Sarah Palin for lying, but clearly there are things you and the VMC establishment would prefer the public not know.
2) Maybe the spectre of arrogant asses like Mr. Ater, setting themselves up to decide who "deserves" medical care on the basis of their political beliefs, is one of the things turning people off to the idea of government-run health care.
We need a true free market in health care, not the socialized mess masquerading as one we have now.
Oh yes, a third point: How expensive would the heart patient's medication be if he didn't need permission from the government, in the form of a note from his doctor, in order to buy it? What if he could buy a twin-pack of it at Costco, instead of the limited amount the government lets him have at any one time?
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