Thursday, September 07, 2006

Universal Health Care Promoted at Church!

I have often voiced an opinion about universal health care, most recently in the post, Jesus Christ for President. I have often mentioned the role of grace and question why we do not hear more about health care in our churches. I am pleased to announce that in at least one instance we have.

My friends from church, mjd and daddy d, went to a universal health care town meeting this summer. It was sponsored by the Methodist Church and hosted by North United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. At this town meeting there was much talk about H.R. 676 which seeks to make set up a single payer system. Families would pay not more than $1600 a year for health care. They even had details on how this would be paid for –employers and employees would both pay a small tax like the social security tax that comes from their paychecks. But, everyone would be covered. Money would be saved by eliminating the unnecessary administrative cost and profit now being paid to insurance companies and HMO’s. And business would be able to remain competitive. (See the links on the right for more information)

I was pleased that the church was involved in supporting this effort. I would still like to hear more from churches about universal health care and I would love to see it become a reality.

On a different note…. My doctor added mycardis to my blood pressure meds. The last time I was in he gave me a My Card. This “gem” guarantees that I will never pay more than $20 for a prescription of mycardis.

I went to the pharmacist to fill my prescription and did not have the card. No worries since I was going to pick it up the next day. So I went in the next day to pick it up with the My Card in hand. I gave it to the pharmacist and said, “I don’t know if it will make a difference or not, but if it doesn’t I will be pleased with the job that expensive health insurance is doing.” As it turned out, using the My Card got my prescription filled for half the price that my insurance would fill it. I paid $20 just like the card said. Makes you wonder what you’re paying for or working for in some cases. Definitely gets your blood pressure up!

--Willi

3 Comments:

Blogger Jay said...

When I read the first paragraph of this post I thought to myself "the only church I've ever heard universal health care mentioned in is a Methodist Church" .. and that's still the case. haha

There really is not excuse whatsoever for there to be this kind of health care crisis in this country. It's all about greed on the healthcare industry and pharamcuticals industry.

9:48 PM  
Blogger gawilli said...

Yep. Those Methodists are are it again! I am very pleased that "The Church" has taken some positive steps forward when it comes to issues of social justice, Universal Healthcare being one of them.

10:53 PM  
Blogger daddy d said...

This health thing is for everyone. My deal was $125 for 20 pills. But net cost to me was $15. If that can be done with the smaller group I am in, think how good it would be with the whole country in the same group. The risk spread way small over such a large group. Let the USA get this thing done soon.

6:42 AM  

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