Health Care Reform - the real stories that the media isn't covering

Flagstaff was wonderful! I loved being with my friends and spending time in the local places where they make the most delicious food. I can't wait to get out of Arizona... but if you're stuck here, Flagstaff is the place to be.

You know... getting bills every week from this doctor or that company is quite frustrating. (NOT my cancer doctors - we have wonderful case managers with them who have helped us out). You think you have great insurance coverage - which I do and am grateful for that - and then you're getting bills for a doctor to call 911... or from a specialist the E.R. used who conveniently isn't contracted with your insurance... or from a different doctor who helped me while I was in horrifyingly severe neck pain for weeks on end - who says that your insurance provided wrong information for benefits and that, whoops, you're not covered for those services...

I know this blog is supposed to just be about my journey with cancer, and not my passionate views on politics. But politics is important for a reason... it effects the daily lives of real people. And health care has been a very important, very real piece of my journey with leukemia. So sue me for bringing up something that will make people upset - I am already upset. And it's my blog! If you don't like what I have to say, you don't have to read what I write. Fair warning.

We must pay attention to the current health care debate, and tune out the ignorant voices yelling things that aren't productive. It doesn't matter what ideology or party or religion you belong to --- health care is very simply a life-death matter. There are real concerns to be had about the different proposals in Congress right now. But no matter how much you disagree with President Obama's ideas on health care, he does not want to kill off old people or hold hearings on whether or not a person is "worthy" of coverage.

I wish to believe that every doctor's office, health care provider, and insurance company has the patient's health in mind when making decisions. I wish to believe the best about people, and the American people. But reality shows a different story. I have stated numerous times on this blog how amazing my doctors and nurses are - they are the heroes who saved my life. I am one of the lucky ones: I have insurance and have been able to get the best care available to me. Others are not so fortunate. Sure, I may have some legitimate beefs with the powers-that-be regarding some of my health care coverage... but at least I have it!

When I am no longer a student and have to provide for my own insurance, I would like to have insurance and not be denied it simply because cancer is a pre-existing condition.

I do not question the motives of those concerned with the costs of health care reform, concerns about the availability of doctors under a public plan, or other legitimate issues to raise when discussing such important legislation. I do question the motives, however, of those who are so deeply motivated to halt any progress or change to the unquestionably flawed system in this country. I wonder... if they were diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer, would they feel the same way? Would they want to kill any proposals for reform if they had no insurance and suddenly got sick?

I wish President Obama and the rest of our lawmakers the best in fighting for a healthier country. Anyone who cares about other people should be praying for the best outcome of this national debate. These news stories about these "town-halls" across the country where nutjobs are yelling and physically confronting members of congress are not the real story of health care. Those videos do get fantastic ratings on websites and on television, though, and that's why they're there.

Ask the mother who has had to quit her job to take care of her baby with lymphoma about her story with health care. Ask the senior citizen who has filed for bankruptcy because he can no longer afford to pay for his medication about his pharmaceutical coverage. Ask the college student who is diagnosed with leukemia about his concerns over the future of his health with a "pre-existing condition"... I'm right here.

These are the real stories about health care. Let's get them on the news.