We must protect Medicare at all costs
It is imperative to our boomers who are currently are on medicare, or will be on medicare soon enough. And those that will use Medicare in the future. I went to my father's mail box today and found the letter from the Social Security Administration. "Welcome to Medicare" "Entitled to Hopsital (Part A) and Medical (Part B). The effective date 04-01-2013.
Unfortunately, my father didn't make it as he passed away in November of this year (he was 61). He fought tooth and nail with Blue Cross for coverage of his costs. From simple visits for chemo therapy (each visit was a small fortune) to treat advanced Colon cancer, a gallery of pills that he had, and the various CT scans, MRIs, and etc. All these bills were all separate costs, and often you had to pay up front before some of these services could be rendered. It wasn't just a two year battle my father fought with the cancer, but the treatments that any human would like to have so they can live was like a daily battle. So many ups and downs, so many phone calls I had to make on his behalf because he was simply too weak to do it on his own often times. I can't fathom why would some people expect those experiencing chemo treatment to be able to negotiate and wait on hold for long periods of time on the phone to sort out what is and isn't covered on the health insurance with these companies. It is taxing for us that are healthy and able bodied. But my father who would often throw up so much that he would be down spurting out his own bile why should it be expected he can do this on his own?
We often had this conversation about health care reform and my father said this. " Life is shorter than most people realize, so pushing back Medicare eligibility is a huge blow to our society at large." Furthermore, he said that " As a society we have a priorities mixed up because we tend to focus too much now on the short term gains in instead of long term vision."
My father was right, and sadly he isn't around anymore to see that. I miss him dearly on a daily basis to be honest. Sometimes I forget that he is gone when I go over to his place hoping he is around the corner. But what I don't forget is all that he taught me. Empathy for other people of the world, anti war stance that was solidified when he was a young adult during the Vietnam War, and most importantly universal rights for all. Specifically universal health care for all.
Medicare is an integral part of having the possibility of universal health care in the future. I am only 29 years old, but I will fervently fight to protect Medicare. It was my father's dream, and I will carry the torch to make it a reality. I don't want future generations to have to go through the gauntlet my father went through. Human dignity and fairness is of the utmost importance.
Goodbye father, and thank you for shaping me into the rational, empathetic adult that I am today.
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