Uninsured people are also more likely to
have undiagnosed and undertreated medical conditions, according to a
new study comparing chronic illnesses among Americans with and without
health coverage. The results offer possible clues to a recently
reported higher death rate among people who lack insurance.
Perhaps the most interesting thing
about the debate over a public healthcare option in the US is that in
some ways, it's turning into a debate over the efficacy of the
healthcare system in Canada.
Canadians have taken a keen interest in the discussion in the US, not
simply because it's familiar territory (we debate the efficiency of our
healthcare system endlessly), but because our name keeps getting
dragged through the mud.
WASHINGTON - As President Barack Obama and other world leaders meet in Italy, a global survey released Thursday reflects wide concern that governments won't meet their budgets in this economic climate - and a universal preference to respond by cutting services rather than raising taxes.
SOUTHLAKE, Texas - Real estate agent Lisa DeWaal serves coffee at a Starbucks outlet for four hours every morning before she goes to the office to start her "day job."
The reason has little to do with the state of the housing market and everything to do with the one big perk that 20 hours a week at the coffee counter provides: affordable health insurance for her and her three children.
Will serious health reform meet the fate of the
scorpion and the turtle? In that fable, the scorpion pleads with the turtle to
carry him across a river. The turtle resists, fearing the scorpion's
sting, but the scorpion reassures him that he'd do nothing so foolish,
since both would drown if he did. Finally the turtle agrees. Halfway across,
the scorpion betrays his promise with a lethal sting. As the turtle begins to
drown, he asks why he took both their lives. "It's just who I
am," the scorpion replies.
As the country contemplates a major reform and restructuring of the
way we run our national health care system (if it can even be called
that), it needs to be pointed out that the mammoth health insurance
industry is nothing but a parasite on that system.
I'm an Arab American.
If I listen to the leadership of the Arab American organizations,
I'm supposed to be proud of my fellow Arab Americans who make it in
American society.
So, for example, the Arab American Institute promotes all Arab American politicians - no matter their political persuasion.
At its annual dinner, the American Task Force on Lebanon gives
awards to the likes of Darryl Issa (R-California) and General John
Abizaid, former head of the U.S. Command in Iraq.
With the U.S. economy's downward spiral still
accelerating and the federal government looking at its largest budget
deficits since World War II, some are saying that this is not the time
to expand health care coverage to all Americans.
But this is exactly the time for the Obama
administration to move boldly on its campaign promise to implement a
universal health care system.
To the casual listener, President Barack Obama's promises on health care Tuesday may have sounded like an unequivocal vow to get all Americans health insurance coverage by the end of 2009.
But in reality, that's not exactly what he pledged Tuesday night.
Obama stressed the importance of "quality, affordable health care for every American" and struck an urgent tone. "Let there be no doubt: health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait and it will not wait another year," Obama said.
