Time to focus on the real issue at hand everyone. There is a lot going on, and for me I’ve taken a step back for personal reasons, but it’s time to get back in the game. It’s time to make some noise about healthcare.
Why does healthcare matter to me? It’s about the past and the future.
My Dad was 52 when I was born. The next year, he had his first bypass surgery. My parents didn’t have health insurance. Only through the generosity of the hospital and his heart surgeon were my parents able to afford the live saving procedure. I don’t know what would have happened had my parents not received this generosity. I was six years old before they had health insurance.
My parents are fortunate enough to be on Medicare now. Because of it, they haven’t faced crippling debt over the years, despite numerous medical emergencies and procedures. My parents have a high quality of life despite these medical concerns, and it is because of Social Security and Medicare that this is possible. My Dad would not be alive today if it wasn’t for the healthcare he has received over the years, and because of it, he just walked me down the aisle on my wedding day. I have three decades of memories with him that I might not have had had it not been for the healthcare he’s received.
But my fight for healthcare isn’t just about the past – it’s about my future and the dreams I have. For me, I have been fortunate enough to have health insurance through my college or my employer since I was 18. I didn’t have to worry about health emergencies or preventative care because I was covered. Even now, after leaving my previous employment, I have health insurance through my partner’s employer. I’m lucky.
Yet what if one day he no longer is covered by an employer’s health insurance? What if we decide to start our own company? And if we do decide to start our own company and we need to find insurance, what if we also want to start a family? It’s not cheap having a baby, so what if the health care law thinks I have a preexisting condition because I am a woman? What if I have to decide between my dreams of having a family and owning a business and affording healthcare? Is that what America is about?
We don’t know what the Senate health care bill is like yet, but it’s coming in just a few weeks. We need to share our concerns with our Senators, making sure they understand that a new health care bill that leaves millions of Americans without coverage is unpatriotic. America is about taking care of its citizens, not leaving them behind. America is about pursuing opportunities and healthcare should not be standing in the way of it.
Will you join me in this fight?
If you will, here’s what you can do. Credit for this list goes to Ben Wikler with MoveOn.org.
- Sign the petition on MoveOn.org to join thousands of others standing up for healthcare.
- Call your Senators and ask to speak with the Health Legislative Assistant and explain why health care matters to you.
- Find the staffers online or check out this list on Twitter or here.
- Ask for a meeting with your Senator or the staffers, and if you don’t get, show up at their office anyway. Bring your friends. Make some noise.
- Write a letter to the editor to your local newspapers and talk about why healthcare matters to you and mention your Senators. Make some noise.
- Encourage your friends and family to do the same.
- Make some noise. Don’t lose hope.
Fight for life – we can’t have life if we can’t afford healthcare. Fight for liberty – we can’t have liberty if we face crippling debt because of medical expenses. Fight for the pursuit of happiness – we can’t pursue happiness if we must decide between our dreams and covering medical costs.
Fight and make some noise.
Awakening Dissident 