Underinvestment in prevention and public health. Too many Americans go without high-value preventive services, such as cancer screening and immunizations to protect against flu or pneumonia. The nation faces epidemics of obesity and chronic diseases as well as new threats of pandemic flu and bioterrorism. Yet despite all of this less than 4 cents of every health care dollar is spent on prevention and public health.8 Our health caresystem has become a disease care system, and the time for change is well overdue.
This is a mainstay of a healthy and happy America. Preventive Care has been the salvation to many, many people. I survived cancer because of Preventive Care. The cost of saving my life was far, far less because of early detection. There should be no reason in the USA for any citizen to feel alienated from 'the right to be and feel healthy.'
I read a story recently about a man, an artist, that died because of an infection under his tooth. He was playing physician to himself because he didn't have health care. I am sure anyone interested in the topic of health care insurance reform has heard the nightmare sceniaro of the child that died of an infected tooth. The child did not have preventive dental care and when it came to seeking a dentist when there was pain it was too late. The emergency room became the venue of treatment and the child died. He died in the United States of America because his parents could not afford a dentist and a simple perscription to save his life.
For health care practitioners working with stroke victims and paralysis, there is a syndrome that accompanies such diagnoses. The syndrome is called 'The Disuse Syndrome.' It is a nursing diagnosis as well as a physician assessment issue. The syndrome basically states that due to lack of sensation and movement a limb(s) are ignored by the person afflicted with the paralysis or impartment. This is a physical diagnosis as there is muscle deterioration and potential for joint malformation and skin integrity problems. It isn't really considered a psychological issue as a person has to learn they are ignoring a part of their body that was once very useful.
At times, I wish the diagnosis could be applied to social functioning when people interact with the health care system in the USA. See, I believe people that are 'at risk' for serious health issues and burgeoning death 'syndromes' surrender their ability to 'use the system' when the reality of the lack of access to health care becomes obvious.
One would expect people that are discriminated against in obtaining and maintaining health care insurance or access would be fighting mad and wouldn't take it anymore, but, they don't. They literally lie down and die.
Penguins do that. Adele penguins in Antarctica when faced with ice formations that block their amble to the sea to eat and find fish for their young, simply lie down and die. They don't problem solve. The Adele's don't know how to problem solve. The occurrence of a blocked path to the sea is too much, too huge for them to overcome their natural instincts.
People become that way. They become defeated in understanding their dilemmas and they 'give up.' They figure they can problem solve disease and infirmity themselves and find solutions that will result in a 'good enough' outcome. No adult or child or parent ever believes at the end of their ability to cope with life and its hardships lies a coffin. Not in the USA. That simply doesn't happen here.
But, it does. Every day Americans die. Old Americans, young Americans, middle age Americans and American Veterans lose their 'insight' to life, become despondent and die. They don't make a big fuss and clamor for attention so that those surrounding them 'rescue' them in the nick of time. They 'resign' themselves to a failed life as if a punishment for the lack of success to have what '? everyone ?' else has. That is about the saddest reality a society, a First World society, can assess of itself. A population could be wiped out that way. In the history of humans on Earth it has happened exactly that way.
The health care issue is huge. The USA needs to rally around the potential for improving its MORALITY and supporting its people to a new reality. Every American deserves a life of wellness. They deserve a life with Preventive Medicine. Every American needs to feel empowered enough to seek PROPER medical attention for 'what ails them.' Health Care Insurance Reform is more than just adjusting 'the cost' to Americans, it means as a nation we are empowered to act in our best interest to obtain and maintain wellness.
Coordinate and integrate care.
Rates of chronic diseases have skyrocketed in the last 2 decades.17 (these number appear all over the Executive Branch's Health Care Proposal. They are reference numbers. Those numbers are found at the bottom of the proposal. That means the reference is there to VERIFY what is being stated as fact. It is a form of respect to the reader. The Executive Branch has no intention of lying to the people reading their proposal and what to prove they have considered all the facts.) Over 133 million Americans have at least one chronic disease.18 With proper care, the onset and progression of these diseases can be contained for many years. In addition to the needless suffering and early death they cause, these chronic conditions cost a staggering $1.7 trillion yearly.19 Barack Obama and Joe Biden will support providers to put in place care management programs and encourage team care through implementation of medical home type models that will improve coordination and integration of care of those with chronic conditions.
Chronic disease is a big issue in the USA. It is expensive to maintain care to those that are chronically ill, however, the Executive Branch of the USA has a plan that will put in place 'therapy regimes' (including home care) that will ward off debilitating aspects of chronic disease. In putting 'therapy regimes' in place it will cut costs of treatment and people will have expected outcomes to those therapies. Where a person 'falls off' the expectations of those regimes, there can be assessment as to why. It is more than admirable, this issue has an exclusive recognition in the proposal. It tells me the Executive Branch has done its homework and knows where high costs of quality care exists and will be focusing on these issues to monitor cost and improve performance.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s plan strengthens employer–based coverage, makes insurance companies accountable and ensures patient choice of doctor and care without government interference. Under the plan, if you like your current health insurance, nothing changes, except your costs will go down by as much as $2,500 per year. If you don’t have health insurance, you will have a choice of new, affordable health insurance options.
That all sounds really nice, huh? But, how do the American people feel reassured they will actually have all this working for them? Because it is obvious the Executive Branch have done their homework and seek to 'standardize' care across the country. A CARE STANDARD that carries with it the brevity of the legislature means that all insurances will help Americans in the same way. Everyone in the USA will have dignity in deciding what plan they want knowing their 'care standard' is not compromised in their choice.
I am looking forward to having every person well and happy and living a life worthy of the USA. I hope everyone else feels the same way.
Until tomorrow.
