This is my first DFA Blog post.  I just finished the first part of Dr. Dean's new book, Howard Dean's Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform: How We Can Achieve Affordable Medical Care For Every American And Make Our Jobs Safer, after participating in the online chat.  Claire, the character in the first sentence of the book, could be me.  The year is much more recent than 1988, and I'm a bit older than she, but like Claire, I have diabetes.  I was offered that same individual policy for an outrageous premium, but now that I've been unemployed for over a year, I can afford nothing and have no health insurance.  One thing that really bothers me about our system is that I've been healthy and paid into the system all my life, but now because I'm unemployed, I have no access to care.  That's not right.

My son, who is a doctor, has offered to pay for my medical expenses. Even though he has some expendable income, he has lots of expenses, too -- like paying off med school loans.  He shouldn’t have to pay my medical bills.  I’m a perfectly capable, professional, able-bodied person who just happens to be unemployed and without health insurance.  I need to have my routine check-up, labs, and prescriptions to stay well.  In addition, I haven’t been to the opthamalogist or dentist in over a year.  I keeping putting off seeing the doctor because I'm hoping to get a job with health insurance so I can pay my own bills. I hate being a burden on my children.  I hate it!

Socialism seems to be the word of the day when listening to the fear mongers describe the public health care option, so I'd like to say a few words about that.   Big, bad socialism, Ooooo, I'm so scared.  As the "isms" go -- facism, communism, socialism -- democratic socialism is one "ism" I've become quite fond of. The post office is a perfect example of democratic socialism.  For a mere forty-four cents, the price of a postage stamp, I can have a letter delivered from my mailbox to anyplace in the country.  What service!  I couldn't personally afford to have someone deliver that letter for me. Collectively, we've decided that's a job for the government. That's socialism we can believe in. Can capitalist endeavors exists alongside the USPS?   Just ask Federal Express, DHL, or UPS.  Each of these private companies provides a service that people are willing to pay for.  "When it absolutely positively has to be there overnight," you can pay anywhere from $15.50 to $40.90 to send your letter.  But, isn't it great to have the post office to rely on at other times?

Likewise, Medicare provides health care to the elderly, efficiently and cost effectively.  Most elderly people couldn't afford to pay their health care costs out of pocket.  Their children can't afford to pay it for them either. Collectively, we've decided that's a function of government.  Again, socialism we can believe in. The number of uninsured Americans is at an all time high -- about 46,600,000 of us. So, the idea of a public option to include those who choose it is an idea whose time has come.  It may not be for you, but I would choose the public option because through no fault of my own, I have been unemployed for three of the past six years.  I have also been without health care during the down time. Losing your job can happen to anyone. Losing your healthcare at the same time can be devastating. I can't afford the FedEx version of healthcare. I need the postage stamp version of health care.  Can insurance companies exist alongside a public option plan? I would suppose that if, like the mail companies, they are providing a valuable service that people are willing to pay for, they will thrive.  So, what are they afraid of?  But, wouldn't it be great to have the public option to rely on if we chose it?

Health care for all can't come soon enough for me.  To sign the petition for health care for all, Stand with Dr. Dean.