4.23.2008

Citizens’ Responsibility towards the Future of Healthcare

In responding to MD posting on healthcare, or as he tittles it “sickness care”, I would have to say that I think he is about 80% correct.

MD writes:

“First of all, let’s clarify terms. “Health care” is misleading — what we in practice are talking about is “sickness care”, because one doesn’t need care if one is healthy, only when one is sick. “Health” is an abstract term (and, even, a state of mind), whereas “sickness” in terms of medical care is not. If we use concrete terms, we focus on exactly what it is we are talking about.”

My question for MD is – What about healthy people that have a disease or disability? You can be very healthy and an active person and be inflicted with cancer, aids, autisms, ms or other medical conditions that are greater than your lifestyle. The reason I agree that MD is about 80% correct is because 80% of all healthcare “sickness” could be cured with proper diet and exercise. I do not like the idea of paying for other peoples’ “sickness” when they knowingly create their disease. Personal diets that include trans-fats/hydrogenated oil and over consumption of food to the point of obesity creates disease. I do not want myself or anybody to pay for the sins of a junkie, be it of food, drugs or alcohol.

Should the 20% of people that take care of themselves (“healthy-care”) be rejected due to the abuse of 80% of the people who simply do not care (“sickness-care”) for their state of well being?

My rant on healthcare was not directed at politics or insurance companies, but at the current state of Americans who simply do not care about their health. This “take a pill” mentality toward prevention is killing off recourses for healthy people inflicted with a disease.