President Obama announced yesterday his new initiative for healthcare reform. I read a few newspapers and couldn't really figure out anything new or reformed about it. Essentially, healthcare reform is somewhat akin to a pinata. It looked reasonable once, with increased coverage, the public option and so on. Then it took a few hits from the insurance companies, then a good beating from the multi-millionaire Senators and then the blue dogs swung a few bats at it. Obama even hit it a few times. And where's the candy? It turns out there is none. Or only a few small pieces.
For those that read this blog and and don't live in the US, I will give an example of how things are now and why people want genuine reform. This is the story of a friend of mine whose family buys private health insurance here in California.
I used to think of this friend's family as fairly "middle class." They live in a working class neighborhood. Her work is as primary caregiver to their two small children. He works for a non-profit food bank. He gets no work-based health insurance, so they pay $700-a-month health insurance for themselves and their two small children.
That doesn't sound like a lot? Well, its only value, as my friend told me, is that if they get into an accident or if she get pregnant again. (Pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition and healthcare companies won't insure you if you're already carrying a baby.) That's because they have a massive $5,000 per person deductable which means if they or their kids are sick they have to pay cash to the doctor or hospital. If it's really expensive (over 5-grand) they will be covered.
Today my friend gashed her hand with a sharp knife while preparing food. She called her husband. She felt she needed stitches. They discussed it. It would probably cost them $3-400. So she went to the drug store and bought some super glue. The scar will always be there (unlike with stitches) as a reminder of how messed up US healthcare is.
Well, unless you're a politician or rich.
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