Healthcare Nightmares
http://www.aframnews.com/html/interspire/articles/816/1/Healthcare-Nightmares/Page1.html
Carmen Watkins
Carmen Watkins is president and CEO of the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston. By Carmen Watkins
Published on 08/23/2009
What does Sheila Jackson Lee, Gene Green and Nick Lampson all have in common? Outside of their democratic alliance, they have all been bombarded with rowdy and disruptive crowds at local congressional town hall meetings, organized in an effort to hear the community’s voice on the healthcare crisis. The public overthrow of these town hall meetings have been organized by right-wing organizations such as Freedomworks.org, which is directed by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, now a Washington lobbyist with clients that include a major international pharmaceuticals company.
What does Sheila Jackson Lee, Gene Green and Nick Lampson all have in common? Outside of their democratic alliance, they have all been bombarded with rowdy and disruptive crowds at local congressional town hall meetings, organized in an effort to hear the community’s voice on the healthcare crisis. The public overthrow of these town hall meetings have been organized by right-wing organizations such as Freedomworks.org, which is directed by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, now a Washington lobbyist with clients that include a major international pharmaceuticals company.
But the battle to reform healthcare is anything but new and neither are the claims against the embattled system. The African- American community has been riddled by the leading diseases in the nation. In fact researchers and scientists alike have spent billions of dollars documenting that fact repeatedly.
Study after study, says it is the chronic diseases such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, asthma, heart and cancer are leading the path amongst African-Americans at higher rates than their other counterparts. So the current battle over healthcare is a major issue that must be addressed not only in mainstream America, but specifically for the lifeline of the Black community. Another equally devastating thought that has also been documented is that although the chronic illnesses are the same, race often determines who gets the proper healthcare and who doesn’t.
The rates of uninsured African- Americans have continued to rise in the face of Americas’ flawed health care system, creating additional barriers in the path of minorities to receive adequate medical care. Accordingly, 28.6 percent of African-Americans compared to 13.5 percent of their White peers, have difficulty receiving the proper health care. Also African-Americans are five times as likely to be questioned of their ability to pay for care treatment, regardless of their insurance status.
Our nation’s health care system is in need of an overhaul, and most people would not disagree with that fact. President Barack Obama is continuing to push his version of healthcare reform, while opposing lawmakers debate over whether the plan to reform health care will become more stressful on a crippling healthcare system. With more than 42.6 million people in America lacking health insurance, nobody in America deserves to be “waiting” for better health care.
According to the Obama universal healthcare coverage plan, many are asking if the bill will help or make things worse? Here are some facts that are getting confused in between the sound bites. If the bill is passed, you will not be forced to give up a private plan to go with a public plan; this is not socialism in the pure sense.
If you can afford to keep the plan you have, that will remain your option. The Obama administration is standing on their promise of the healthcare plan paying for itself and not increasing the deficit or our taxes. We will have to adopt the plan and see if that is true.
There is the “unknown factor” the sleeping giant, of sorts in the government’s ability to control variables in the healthcare process, to be able to minimize overhaul cost and there are as many current scenarios as there are opinions on the issue. This health reform bill is a risk, but if implemented as designed, it will impact the African- American community by improving their access to healthcare. The bill includes complimentary or alternative medicine as low-cost substitutes for standard care, medical records will be transferred to a smart card that’s accessible, and also encourage employers to offer health insurance that meets a certain criteria.
Even though some disagree with the president’s bill saying it’s unaffordable, many believe it will be a huge step in improving healthcare in America.
Dick Armey leader of Freedomworks.org says the organization drives policy change by training and mobilizing grassroots Americans to engage their fellow citizens and encourage their political representatives to act in defense of individual freedom and economic opportunity.
But the battle to reform healthcare is anything but new and neither are the claims against the embattled system. The African- American community has been riddled by the leading diseases in the nation. In fact researchers and scientists alike have spent billions of dollars documenting that fact repeatedly.
Study after study, says it is the chronic diseases such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, asthma, heart and cancer are leading the path amongst African-Americans at higher rates than their other counterparts. So the current battle over healthcare is a major issue that must be addressed not only in mainstream America, but specifically for the lifeline of the Black community. Another equally devastating thought that has also been documented is that although the chronic illnesses are the same, race often determines who gets the proper healthcare and who doesn’t.
The rates of uninsured African- Americans have continued to rise in the face of Americas’ flawed health care system, creating additional barriers in the path of minorities to receive adequate medical care. Accordingly, 28.6 percent of African-Americans compared to 13.5 percent of their White peers, have difficulty receiving the proper health care. Also African-Americans are five times as likely to be questioned of their ability to pay for care treatment, regardless of their insurance status.
Our nation’s health care system is in need of an overhaul, and most people would not disagree with that fact. President Barack Obama is continuing to push his version of healthcare reform, while opposing lawmakers debate over whether the plan to reform health care will become more stressful on a crippling healthcare system. With more than 42.6 million people in America lacking health insurance, nobody in America deserves to be “waiting” for better health care.
According to the Obama universal healthcare coverage plan, many are asking if the bill will help or make things worse? Here are some facts that are getting confused in between the sound bites. If the bill is passed, you will not be forced to give up a private plan to go with a public plan; this is not socialism in the pure sense.
If you can afford to keep the plan you have, that will remain your option. The Obama administration is standing on their promise of the healthcare plan paying for itself and not increasing the deficit or our taxes. We will have to adopt the plan and see if that is true.
There is the “unknown factor” the sleeping giant, of sorts in the government’s ability to control variables in the healthcare process, to be able to minimize overhaul cost and there are as many current scenarios as there are opinions on the issue. This health reform bill is a risk, but if implemented as designed, it will impact the African- American community by improving their access to healthcare. The bill includes complimentary or alternative medicine as low-cost substitutes for standard care, medical records will be transferred to a smart card that’s accessible, and also encourage employers to offer health insurance that meets a certain criteria.
Even though some disagree with the president’s bill saying it’s unaffordable, many believe it will be a huge step in improving healthcare in America.
Dick Armey leader of Freedomworks.org says the organization drives policy change by training and mobilizing grassroots Americans to engage their fellow citizens and encourage their political representatives to act in defense of individual freedom and economic opportunity.