The problem with being self-employed is that it sure doesn’t come with benefits. I’ve seen too many terrible things – like cancer – happen to people my age or barely older (or younger), so I don’t believe in going without health insurance. Many of my friends in LA, who work as freelance musicians or writers, simply go without. Since I’ve stopped working a full-time ‘day job,’ I’ve been paying out of pocket. But in a weird twist of events, today I’ve been put into a position where I’m potentially without insurance. I’ve spent the whole damn day up to this point applying for a new health plan. It’s confusing enough when you have to choose between plans your employer might offer, which I’ve done, but when you’re starting from scratch, it’s completely overwhelming. You pick the plan you think you can afford but then find out they don’t cover brand prescriptions, or maybe the doctor’s visits aren’t covered, so you start all over again. And then you could very well be rejected, and you’re back to scratch, and you feel that you’ve been punished for any health problem you’ve ever had. Literally. Like I’m sitting here wishing I didn’t have asthma, not because it’s a health problem, but because it might interfere with my ability to get insured.
There was much talk about health care reform in the democratic primaries, and I hope with all my heart that our next president will really, finally do something about it. There’s no perfect solution, but the way things are right now is a total mess. Health care companies, because what they offer is so essential, seem somehow able to treat their consumer with utter disregard. No other companies could behave this way and survive. There are many who fear that the government wouldn’t do a good job taking care of us – which I certainly understand, but it’s a sad state of affairs, isn’t it? Nonetheless, having seen the alternative at work, I’m willing to give the government under a good president a shot. I don’t feel taken care of right now, and it’s a scary feeling. I hope that everyone will hold the next president accountable for health care reform and bug the hell out of their congresspeople if a bill comes to the floor. You cannot take your health for granted, but I would hope that in a country like this, you’d be able to take health CARE for granted.
(P.S. While I’m crusading, I’d like to protest the fact that spellcheck is sexist – congressmen is not a typo, but congresspeople is. Ha ha ha…)