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OPINIONS
Diane Mufson: Affordable health care for everyone would be one giant leap for America
Last month, Americans had the chance to see NASA successfully crash a lunar probe into the moon's surface and thus determine that there is water on the moon.
Four decades ago, Neil Armstrong became the first person to land on the moon. Millions of us remember his words: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Everyone agreed that it was an amazing event.
Beyond space exploration, Americans have done all sorts of incredible and difficult tasks such as conquering diseases, building skyscrapers and providing electricity to the nation. But universal health care has remained outside our grasp. Finally, it looks hopeful that our government will take that one giant step for its citizens and make affordable health care available for all Americans.
It is ridiculous to think that France, Germany, Sweden, Great Britain and Canada are smarter, more caring or better organized than the U.S. But somehow, governments of those nations have figured out how to provide their citizens with medical care without bankrupting their countries.
Many Americans say that the approximately 46 million citizens without health care plans should take care of their own medical insurance. That's a great idea, but like communism, it looks fine on paper; it just doesn't work.
"Mary" (not her real name) illustrates this point. This mother of two, with an ex-husband who rarely held a job, worked at two fast-food places which did not offer health insurance. She paid a monthly mortgage on a tiny home. All went well until she discovered a lump in her breast.
Not having insurance, she put off seeing a doctor. By the time she entered the medical system, surgery and medication were needed immediately. She thought she could pay off the bill, but didn't know it would be so large or she would miss so much work. Debt piled up and her account was turned over to creditors; she eventually lost her home. Not a pretty story, but a true one.
Americans already have some forms of government health insurance. The problem is that they do not cover all the people who need health insurance and cannot afford to buy it. Medicaid is there only for those with very limited incomes.
Medicare, the health insurance for senior citizens and those with specified disabilities, takes care of a large segment of our population. I have yet to hear anyone who receives Medicare say that they wish they could opt out of the program and instead negotiate their own health insurance.
Americans deserve affordable health care. We deserve to know that if we lose our jobs or take a new position, if we decide to work for a small company or want to be our own boss, that getting sick will only be a physical problem and not one that will wipe us out economically and emotionally.
Most of Congress now recognize that some form of health care insurance is needed in this country. The details and deals that must be made are complex, but no more challenging than landing a man on the moon.
It is time for Americans to feel as secure about health care as do people in other developed nations. But most of all, it is time for our senators and representatives to admit that while the rest of the nation can't have their superior health insurance coverage, we need to take one giant step right here on earth and offer reasonably priced health care for the rest of us.
Diane W. Mufson is a licensed psychologist in Huntington. She is a former citizen member of The Herald-Dispatch editorial board and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page. Her e-mail is dwmufson@ comcast.net
