Shadegg has a point about health care
June 25th, 2008, 2:15 pm · 5 Comments · posted by Le Templar
JOHN SHADEGG
Democrats are trying to score political points against Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., for a recent quote to a health care industry lobbying group picked up by the Yellow Sheet from Arizona Capitol Times. Here’s the quote as printed in a news release from Shadegg’s Democratic opponent, Bob Lord:
“It’s important to note, Shadegg said, that contrary to what many believe, no one in this country goes without health care.”
Lord’s campaign manager goes on to say this shows Shadegg doesn’t understand the crisis facing many Americans.
But Shadegg made an accurate statement that puts the debate about the future of health care in some context. I constantly turn away comments that claim some white American can’t get any health care because “illegal Mexicans” are getting it all for free at the emergency rooms. The truth is every American can receive a wide variety of medical tests and treatments from emergency rooms at reduced costs or for free if they don’t have health insurance and can’t pay for it on their own. (Illegal immigrants can only receive true emergency care).
It’s expensive, and treating emergency rooms like a doctor clinic is creating lots of problems for the health care system. But Americans simply aren’t denied live-saving care for a lack of money or health insurance.
Update:
Sarah Muench, Bob Lord’s communication director, sent me a response to this post and she gave me permission to put it up as well. Here’s her response in full:
“I understand your argument, but there are millions of Americans who don’t have access to any kind of real health care. There’s a big difference between emergency treatment and real health care. Treatment at an emergency room may include a wide variety of medical tests and emergency care, but when it comes down to someone who has a long-term illness like cancer, that person can’t go to the emergency room for
chemotherapy. And that’s what’s so disappointing about Shadegg’s argument, just think of the 47 million Americans and 9 million children out there without access to real health care. John McCain recognizes this and notes that at any given moment there are tens of
millions of Americans who lost their health insurance because they lost or left a job. Friends of mine have younger siblings who had cancer before they were 10 years old. If they did not have real health care, they would not have gotten the treatment they needed.”
June 25th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Sarah makes a great point. Forcing Americans to rely on emergency rooms for primary care is both expensive and negligent. It’s time to reform our health care system!
June 26th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Although there should be some kind of safety net (to which Shadegg is refering), when did every day healthcare become a fundamental right? Why should I, the taxpayer, be forced to pay for the babyboomers healthcare costs. What happened to personal responsibility? The older generations have taught nothing but consumerism and a spend mentality. They spend on vacations and cars when they should save for a rainy day (like cancer), or pay for their own insurance instead of relying on an employer. The real neglegence is demonstrated by the spending habits of those complaining.
June 28th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Otherside, you clearly have never tried to buy your own health insurance. I would agree with personal responsibility if you operate in a system that is relatively fair and affordable.
In the past when I have purchased insurance as an individual, it was very expensive, did not provide much coverage and when I actually used it in an emergency was dropped the following year. After that, finding health insurance that cost less than twice my mortgage payment was impossible.
I was not poor at the time, I was making about 60K per year, but I could not afford $1800/month for insurance, which was the lowest quote I got. I would have gladly paid $300 to $500/month for good coverage that could not be canceled and raised by a double digit % every year.
Even people who take responsibility get a bad deal in this system.