Conservatives Get Sick Also

 

By Jeffery McNeil

When the Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23rd, 2010, I had no understanding of healthcare. I didn't understand what an individual mandate was or why we needed it.

My education about the American healthcare system was accidental, I never concerned myself with health insurance because I’ve been lucky health wise. However this wasn't true with other members of my family. My mother died at the age of 46 from heart disease and my father passed away a year ago from prostate cancer.

There is nothing more distressing than seeing the person who raised you go from a healthy man to a skeleton. I remember seeing my father writhing in pain but refusing to see a doctor because he believed that doctors were more worried about how he was going to pay for treatment than helping him stay alive.

During that period, I spent hours with administrators filing paperwork and signing forms that I didn't know or understand. In other industrialized nations such as France or Great Britain the patient can walk in and be seen immediately. But in America you have to sign contracts and file paperwork before doctors will see you.

I used to believe doctors did not become doctors for the money. However, after experiencing the suffering my father went through, I am no longer a neophyte when it comes to American healthcare system. Many doctors turned my dad away because he didn't have the right medical coverage and when they did see him they weren't suggesting life saving treatment but ways to make him more comfortable by filling out prescription painkillers.

Our healthcare system has turned away from being a moral concern and became a breeding ground for special interests who are more concerned with protecting their bottom line than aiding the sick and infirmed.   

I consider myself a conservative and a Christian. I believe in American values such as hard work, personal responsibility and tough love. Although I believe these values are vital I believe in compassion for those who are unable to help themselves.

On March 4, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments on the King v. Burwell, case where the plaintiffs argue that the Affordable Care Act prohibits the federal government from intervening in states that did not set up exchanges.

The federal government provides subsidies such as cost-sharing reductions and tax credits to people who live in states that did not set up state-managed insurance marketplaces.

“ If the Supreme court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, Millions of people will lose their Health Insurance subsidies and would no longer be able to afford health Insurance. “ Health and Human Service Secretary Sylvia Burwell told Republican leaders recently.  

If the Supreme court rules in the plaintiffs favor there seems to be no alternative plan from our nation's lawmakers. Although Republicans have vowed to Repeal and Replace Obamacare, Republicans haven't not specified an alternative plan.

Although I’m not for socialized medicine I don't want to go back to the days of pre-existing conditions either. What these far-right kooks are doing is undermining and continuing a system that both Democrats as well as  some Republicans acknowledge is broken.  

There’s conservatism then there’s crazy.  The Tea Party is selling craziness to our nation's health care.  Healthcare shouldn't be politicized, it’s something we all will face. Although I feel sickened by what the conservatives are doing  it’s more egregious that after almost four years,  democrats have done poorly implementing Obamacare and done worse making a spirited defense against relentless right-wing assaults for its repeal.

How Democrats allowed conservatives to make arguments  attacking Obamacare and not counter it with clear and coherent arguments is revolting and deplorable. .

There are many things wrong with Obamacare but repealing it is the talk of crackpots. Our nation needs to do the right thing and discard the motive  of profit in our healthcare system and replace it with humanity.

For once politicians need to follow their conscience ,and do what they know in their hearts is right.   I don't want anyone--conservative or liberal--to witness a loved one suffer and have conservatives demagogue sick people as freeloaders for not having adequate health coverage.

We will all end up in the healthcare system eventually, and in a country as rich as ours, everyone Republican or Democrat should spend their last days being allowed to die in dignity without the added stress of worrying about high medical cost.