I have become a Single Issue Voter.
My issue is Health Care - specifically, Public Option Health Care because I can't buy health insurance from anybody at a reasonable cost.
I am a small businessman - an entrepreneur. I have a small Graphic Design Studio.
I have a wife and four children to support, and mostly do a pretty good job of it.
I'm well into my fifth year of owning my own business. It is a very competitive business, especially in today's economy.
I'm not getting rich, but I'm managing to stay afloat. Barely.
The reason I can't purchase health insurance at a reasonable cost is because I get Kidney Stones. I get the type of kidney stones that are unaffected by diet and lifestyle changes. Otherwise, I am perfectly healthy, although I could stand to lose ten pounds.
Anyone who has ever had one can tell you, kidney stones are brutal. The amount of pain they can generate is indescribable. Nevertheless, I will try.
Imagine, cutting your hands off with a dull, rusty handsaw. Then, rip open your lower back with a dull fish hook. Then set your hands on fire and bury them in your back. Sew up your back wih 3/4 inch manilla rope attached to a hack-saw blade.
That kind of gets close.
My kidney stones come around about every 30 months - pretty much like clockwork. I just had one two months ago. I never went to the hospital or doctor. I took scores of advil and drank gallons of water, and mercifully, it passed after ten days of misery. Other times, I haven't been lucky enough to pass them without medical help. I have had 4 kidney stones removed over the past 15 years. There were several times during my last bout, that I was minutes away from heading to the emergency room but somehow managed to ride it out.
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I've applied for health insurance to numerous companies, multiple times. Mostly, I am turned down flat. When I have been offered coverage, it is with the caveat that kidney stones are not covered and only then at an exorbitant price. One helpful company offered coverage (sans kidney stone coverage) for a mere $1,385.00 per month - $16,620 per year.
Sixteen Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Dollars per year.
That's more than my yearly mortgage payment adds up to.
And that's just for me. It doesn't include the rest of my family.
Anyone with half a brain and one eye can see that is completely out of the question. I simply cannot afford it. If I could, I would. If I thought I could raise my rates to cover the cost and not lose clients I would. Experience has taught me that my clients will find a cheaper provider of the kinds of service I provide.
A classic Catch-22.
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Last year, I joined a group of freelancers - artists, designers, writers, programmers - who's main purpose was to band together to buy group health insurance.
We contacted several companies, sat through presentations and chose a provider. We paid a fee to join as a group.
In their presentation, the chosen company promised:
- To receive group health insurance, they considered a group to be a minimum of one person; and
- There was a no-pre-existing-condition clause.
To date, it appears none of the members who have applied for group health insurance as a group of one have been approved. Also, it seems others have been denied because of a pre-existing condition. Some members have applied for and received eye and dental insurance, but it appears that out of a group of more than 50 members, less than five have been approved for a policy through the provider, and it was as as groups of 2.
Members of our group were given messages like this from the provider:
I was declined because of "confidential medical information” and told that I could have my doctor inquire about the specifics also.
I was told my doctor could request the reason that we were declined. I talked to him about it and he told me that they would never write a new policy for someone over 50 (my husband and I are 54), and he could pretty much guarantee me that was the reason.
What should be clear to all Americans is that a "for profit" health care system is unresponsive to ordinary Americans. Their only consideration is the bottom line.
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Today we learn that Insurance Companies are canceling individuals coverage when they fear that they cannot make a profit on that individual, for pretty much any reason they can dream up - and they refuse to stop the practice.
We also learn that Tom Daschale urges the Obama Administration to drop the Public Option because he is scared of the Republicans.
We also learn today that an overwhelming majority of Americans support the public option.
Indeed, 76 percent of respondents said it was either "extremely" or "quite" important to "give people a choice of both a public plan administered by the federal government and a private plan for their health insurance." link
Our Democratic leaders in Washington are clearly not doing the job we sent them to do.
This is unacceptable. Ordinary Americans deserve health care they can afford.
I don't want a "tax credit". I don't want an empty promise from the Insurance Industry to "control costs". I don't want a co-op at the mercy of a for-profit Insurance Company. I don't want a hand-out.
I want the Insurance Industry to compete with a public run health coverage for my business.
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I care deeply about other issues.
I stand with my GLBT brothers and sisters in demanding full equality.
I want the United States to move aggressively toward clean energy independence.
I am firmly in favor of open government and transparency.
I am solidly opposed to open-ended deficits and unrestrained Government spending.
I want the United States to end the wars as quickly as is responsibly possible.
I want Peace in the Middle East and support a Two State Solution.
I find torture abhorrent and think those responsible should be held accountable.
I support a woman's right to choose.
I am a committed Liberal and unashamed to say it.
I pay my taxes without complaint. I am a law-abiding citizen. I go to church. I take care of my children. I am a faithful husband. I volunteer my time and donate what little I can to charities. I am pulling my weight.
And yet, I can't buy health insurance to protect my family should something happen to me. If I should have a major health problem, all I have worked for goes up in smoke.
But make no mistake, my Senators and Congressman can be right on all those issues but will find me loudly and aggressively opposing their re-election unless they get my Single Issue correct.
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Call your Senators and Representative. Tell them you want the Public Option. Tell them you vote.
Thank you.