Wake Up America!!

In this blog entry, I'd like to share my views on a few touchy political issues. I have done some research and a little homework before discussing my views in detail here on the EF.

The main topic for today is Health Care!
As it sits now, I am NOT a fan of our currant health care system.
As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, My State of Massachusetts has required that all residents carry Health insurance. The choices we have again are:
* Benefits offered through your employer.
* Benefits offered through your Spouse's employer
*A personal private health care plan
* Government assisted, Medicare, MassHealth.

I personally feel that having health coverage is very important, I'm not arguing that fact. And as much as I pay for it and NEVER use it, I know it's good to have god forbid something serious happens.

But what about the small percentage of residents that fall into the "gap". Those residents that:
* Work for a small business which does not offer Health Insurance..
* Can only work part time and does not qualify for full time benefits..
* Doesn't qualify for Government assistance, due to making a little over minimum wage.
* Get rejected by the private Insurance Companies for having a Pre-Existing Injury/ Disease such as; An old sports injury, arthritis, heart disease, cancer, acne, or are 20 pounds over/under weight. Just to name a few.
These applicants are considered "Uninsurable". That hardly seems fair.

I noticed that those people that didn't have Health Coverage at the time of filing their 2007 Tax Return were penalized Hence our nickname of Tax-achusetts.

I find it hard to believe that the US has NOT adopted a Universal Health Care system that so many other countries use. I understand that the Big Insurance companies would not make their Trillions of dollars a year, but these are peoples lives we're talking about. In many cases it's the uninsured residents that are made to wait when they are taken to the hospital, while a resident with insurance walks in after and gets seen first. This is life and death here!!!

Here are a few examples that help to make my point.
In Sweden on an average, 33% is what the residents pay in income tax. That tax pays for Universal Health Care for EVERYONE, it goes towards their retirement plan, and short term / long term disability.

In Canada depending on the Province, residents pay 15-29% in income tax. That tax pays for their Universal Health Care, their Canadian Pension Plan(CPP).

In Massachusetts, USA using me as the example, 31% of my paycheck every week goes right to the government. I'll give you a break down.
18% goes into:
* Social Security benefiting those collecting retirement checks, YTD $700.80
* Medicare, yep I help to pay for the residents that get Government assistance. Seems more like Resident Assisted from where I sit. YTD $163.90
* Federal tax YTD $901.00
* State tax YTD $442.40

The other 13% goes to;
* My Medical/ Health insurance YTD $1133.25 ( never used once)
* My Dental insurance YTD $177.75 (don't get me started on that)
* Long term disability YTD $129.40
* Short term disability YTD $34.93
All totals are Year To Date from Jan 1, 2008 to June 20, 2008.

No, you're not seeing things... I don't have any money going into a retirement fund (401K). Why? I simply can't afford to put money into one to be completely honest. From what I understand, The State has considered getting rid of Social Security and by the time I'm able to collect (in 35 years) It's gonna suck to be me. So yeah, I've been putting into Social Security for 11 years and not 1 cent will benefit me.

See, There you have it... There is NO reason why we can't adopt a Universal Health Care plan here in the States. People don't need to freak out about having to pay higher taxes, Seems we have plenty taken out of our paychecks to more than cover such a health plan. I've just proven that!!
Just for the record, I'm a single person, no kids, and before taxes, I don't even make 25K a year.

I apologize if it seems like I'm beating a dead horse with this issue, but it's an issue that makes me furious and surely I can't be the only person that feels this way.

You can choose to disagree, and you are entitled. All I ask is that you try my shoes on for size before unleashing any flaming comments.