ARTICLE SOURCE HERE
[cross-posted at The Huffington Post]
I got a phone call from my oldest friend yesterday. We’ve been friends since nursery school, stayed best friends in grade school, high school, college and beyond. We were the kind of friends that had hundreds of “in jokes” and we passed notes, and talked on the phone more than we should have, and drove our parents crazy. We survived Mrs. Nemchek’s Geometry class together. We liked the same music. Neither of us were the “popular” girls, but we didn’t want to be. We marched to our own drummer. We had each other, and we made each other laugh and we were always there for each other without reservation. We got a kick out of the fact that people would routinely ask us if we were sisters, when we looked absolutely nothing alike. There isn’t anyone else in the world with whom I share such a close personal history.
So, it wasn’t unusual to get a call from her. There are times when we talk every other day. Sometimes we seem to go for weeks without a call, but we’re always there in spirit.
“I need to tell you something,” she said. I wasn’t sure whether this was going to be good or bad, but “I need to tell you something” is always important. “I went to the doctor, and there’s something wrong with my heart.”
I wasn’t expecting that one.
My friend has had a series of health problems – a bad car accident resulting in two painful spinal surgeries, asthma, a breast cancer scare, but this was different. Her matter-of-fact tone quickly dissolved into tears of fear and vulnerability. “I can’t believe this. I’m only 43!” This wasn’t supposed to happen.
After her breast cancer scare, the doctor recommended a preventative regimen of tamoxifen, a drug which would help ward off the risk of cancer that her condition indicated might be a problem. But before they started her on the potent drug, they wanted to make sure she had a good healthy heart. A family history of heart disease put her in a high risk group, so the cardiologist insisted on a stress test.
She’s been living through multiple problems with her insurance provider, Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield, so she wasn’t surprised when they refused to pay for the test. She was surprised when the doctor decided to call the insurance company himself. He explained why it was important, and that he felt very strongly and in no uncertain terms that it needed to be done. They still refused to pay for the test. And then the cardiologist did an amazing thing. Outraged at the insurance company, he said that he would pay for the test himself, out of his own pocket. It was important, too important to cow to the insurance company representative whose job it was to deny claims just to increase the profits for the company.
My friend wasn’t even able to complete the stress test. After a few minutes on the treadmill, they stopped it and wouldn’t allow her to continue. Shortness of breath. Chest pain. She’d been experiencing these symptoms lately. She was mowing the lawn this week, and had to stop half way through because she couldn’t catch her breath. She chalked it off to asthma. But it was, in fact, a coronary blockage that was keeping one of the chambers of her heart from getting enough oxygen.
So, instead of starting a regimen of tamoxifen next week, she will be getting a stent in her heart tomorrow. She’s home right now, trying to “do nothing”, and trying not to get too stressed out by the thought that she’ll be in surgery in just a few hours, and never even knew anything was wrong.
If her insurance company had gotten its way, she would never have had that test. The next time she was out mowing the lawn, it could have killed her. “He saved my life,” she said, just as I was thinking the same thing. Yes, doctors are in the business of saving lives from disease, and illness and injury, but they shouldn’t have to be in the business of saving lives from business. “He saved my life from the insurance company, she continued. ”The insurance company… there’s your Death Panel.”
I didn’t even ask her his name, but I’m grateful to that cardiologist in the kind of way it’s difficult to express in words. He saved a wonderful, beautiful life. But how many people are not so lucky? A recent study found out that 45,000 people every year die because they are uninsured. And each one of those 45,000 has a story too. They are someone’s husband, or wife, or parent, or best friend since nursery school.
But my friend has health insurance. She pays $600 every month for it, and yet her coverage denied a test that saved her life. How many fully-insured Americans die every year because we allow the insurance industry to be a for-profit enterprise, making money off of people’s lives? How many die because our current system says that the money made for salaries and bonuses for insurance company executives is more important than they are? More important than your mother. More important than your son. More important than my friend. How long will we accept the harsh reality that the insurance company looks at human beings and sees nothing but a spreadsheet?
“We need a revolution in the health care industry,” my friend agreed. “We should not allow them to profit from our own illness.”
Until then, if you have insurance, get in line. Because whatever you are paying them, it’s only a matter of time before your number is up, and it’s you or someone you love that gets to stand in front of the Death Panel and plead your case. And guess what? They’d much rather pay politicians than pay to save your life. It’s cheaper.
ALSO CHECK OUT THE LATEST TOP 10 CONSERVATIVE IDIOTS LIST HERE
Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009: Unconstitutional
ReplyDeleteBy: Michael Connelly
September 21, 2009
Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected.
If I was a member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this legislation or anything like it without feeling I was violating that sacred oath or affirmation.
To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession.
The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled.
However, as scary as all of that it, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated. If this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed.
The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people and the businesses they own. The irony is that the Congress doesn’t have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with. I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care.
This legislation also provides for access by the appointees of the Obama administration of all of your personal healthcare information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide.
If you decide not to have healthcare insurance or if you have private insurance that is not deemed “acceptable” to the “Health Choices Administrator” appointed by Obama there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a “tax” instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn’t work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property without the “due process of law.
part 2.
ReplyDeleteSo, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much out the original ten in the Bill of Rights that are effectively nullified by this law. It doesn’t stop there though. The 9th Amendment that provides: “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people;” The 10th Amendment states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control.
I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and limiting rights. Article 6 of the Constitution requires the members of both houses of Congress to “be bound by oath or affirmation” to support the Constitution. If I was a member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this legislation or anything like it without feeling I was violating that sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway I would hope the American people would hold me accountable.
For those who might doubt the nature of this threat I suggest they consult the source. Here is a link to the Constitution.
And another to the Bill of Rights.
There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from us.
Nikki,
ReplyDeleteHow do you think the American people would react to America being sent to war against Iran on the behalf of Israel? People are already saying that Iraq and Afganistan are Jewish wars. How hard would the anti-white movement try and deny that Iran would be another Jewish war?
Right now Israel is threatening Iran with a military strike. That means they are threatening Iran with our military power which means our sons and daughters? How high does the pile of bodies have to get?
Private insurance denies all sorts of health coverage.
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed a good article Nikki, and yes it is a problem, but it is one that can be fixed. Giving government total control of this sector is definitely not the solution. That's like throwing the baby away with the bathwater.
ReplyDeleteDo we want those problems magnified hundreds maybe even thousands of times by our government making those decisions of who lives and who dies? As bad as insurance beaurocrats are, it WILL BE WORSE X1000 with the cadre of government makework types. I tried to drive that point home with you last night btw.
For the exception of the death penalty, State and Federal government should not be put in a position of who lives and who dies.
Is this so very hard to understand?
"Private insurance denies all sorts of health coverage."
ReplyDelete...A very weak arguement for the government option if you ask me.
"This legislation also provides for access by the appointees of the Obama administration of all of your personal healthcare information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment..."
ReplyDeleteYes, that concerns the Hell out of me as well.
If you think you are treated like a number now by the insurance industry just fucking wait until the government gets control of all of it.
ReplyDeleteAt least now you have the option of changing your insurance provider.
If the gubmint gets their paws on this there will BE NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
Like I keep saying, ask those who are on government run Medicare to sign up for the private option under the control of private companies. Every one of them qualify for that option.
ReplyDeleteAlmost none of them do. When they are real old and sick, they trust their government and not private insurance. I wonder why......
You have a good point Schwartz. I wonder when Drake will learn to shut his stupid fucking mouth? He has nothing intelligent to say. ITS' DA JEWS! IT'S DA JEWS! IT'S DA JEWS! I bet da Jews gave him a short cock and made him beat his baby and wife.
ReplyDeleteFucking loser.
Nikki, I'll keep your friend in my prayers. We have our differences, but I hate to see anyone get down like that.
ReplyDeleteHal is still in transit and has been for the last 5 or 6 days. Diesel therapy is good for the fat little snitch. Maybe somebody will stick him during his travels. Hopefully Big Leroy is ass raping him on a daily basis. Hopefully Schoep is next.
ReplyDeleteHal is still in transit and has been for the last 5 or 6 days. Diesel therapy is good for the fat little snitch. Maybe somebody will stick him during his travels. Hopefully Big Leroy is ass raping him on a daily basis. Hopefully Schoep is next.
ReplyDeleteWe know, Jim. Homosexual sex, wife beating and Jeff Schoep. We got it.
ReplyDeleteHummm Ramsey theory. We know that one Matthew Ramsey aka Jim Ramm hates Bill White (who doesn't), Jeff Schoep, and especially Michael Burks. But why would Ramsey hate Drake? I mean besides the fact that Drake is a contemptible piece of dog shit that lives in his mommies basement with his wife and daughter and most likely beats them like a clock, dresses up little a commando while wearing female underwear, and is a general all around douche bag. Self will have to think on that one. MAYBESO
ReplyDeleteIt's not like it really matters. Jim Ratt is just another bit of the trash collected in the filter of the white nationalist pool. Pretty much everybody knows the score on him by now. He's just here to see how much damage he can do on the way out.
ReplyDeleteSelf would note that there is a lot of more than trash floating in the "White Nationalist Pool"(and it looks and smells a lot like poopie) White Trash PoolThere be big turds like Kevin Storm, Alex Linder (well Alex be little turd but stinks like big one), John De ButtNugget. There be crazy turds (lot of them but self will name a few) Mike Blevins, Bill White, and Matthew Ramsey. Then there be stinky turds like Chris Drake who tries to justify his racism by saying that the people he is racist against is racist as well. Self thinks the pool be pretty shitty. MAYBSO
ReplyDeleteI think today I'm going to listen to the opinions of someone who calls themself "Spongebob Shit-Pants." That's what I'll do.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt in my mind,that within the next few months, the world that we know today is going to vanish. And most Americans are totally unprepared for what’s coming our way.
ReplyDeleteI know you guys are having fun and you think you're safe in your little anti-social world that you built for yoursevles, but you better wake up and prepare yourself and your families for the coming dark days.
"...lot of them but self will name a few) Mike Blevins, Bill White, and Matthew Ramsey. "
ReplyDeleteBlevins? He announced that he left the racist and he doesn't even do his radio show anymore.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt in my mind,that within the next few months, the world that we know today is going to vanish. And most Americans are totally unprepared for what’s coming our way.
Whine cry bitch. That is all you do. You are such a loser that you think that some how if the world comes to and end it will end your pain. Guess what? It ain't coming to no end but even if it did.....YOU'D STILL BE A LOSER. Get a fucking job and stop your crying.
VonWelfare aka Michael "molest the daughter" Blevins is the kind of shit that always sinks to the bottom of the bowl. Too crazy to know he is retarded and unwanted, too cowardly to reveal his name, too lazy to get a job. Blevins smell has been around here for a while, so I don't think that Sponge Bob's nose is too far off. Though I could be wrong because Drake has a similar smell and many of the same traits.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you & Bob are sucking each other's dicks. Why don't you two piles of Shit talk about yourselves instead of someone else. But what else can be expected out of Nigger Lovers like you two?
ReplyDeleteMike Blevins just stopped doing his radio show. He is active in the white power movement. He only claims not to be for some unknown reason.
ReplyDeleteThe screams from the Republicans/Conservatives is that they do not want Government in bed with peoples healthcare.
ReplyDeleteAre they so forgetfull of Terri Schiavo?
Are they so forgetfull of how it involved those in the pro-life movement, the Florida Legislature, U.S. Congress, and that of the then president of the U.S. George Bush?
Are they forgetfull that in March of 2005 Bush returned to Washington D.C from a vacation to sign legislation designed to keep Terri Schiavo alive, which was clearly against her wishes to continue life-prolonging measures?
They wanted Government involved then but today they dont want Government involved.
Am I wrong in this?
I'll reply only to serious posts. Maybe people can put aside the stupid suck this and N that and so and so hearts little boys.
Jim Ramm is at work right now so there's a good chance you'll get our wish.
ReplyDelete"He(meaning Blevins) is active in the white power movement."
ReplyDeleteWhere is he active in the movement? What group does he belong to?
Link? Proof?
You jerks run your pieholes about people you don't know anything about.
Cold Butter is well loved by everyone.
ReplyDeleteSINCERELY,
COLD BUTTER!
The Kindler Gentler Racist.