I'm not really into socialized healthcare. But, before you get offended - let me explain. As you probably know, I was laid off at the first of the year. I immediately filed for unemployment and was informed that I qualified for $219 per week. Whew, that will be a lifesaver. I receive my Chase debit card which is to be my method of payment from the Louisiana Workforce Commission. And then I wait........and wait..........and wait.....and wait some more. I try calling several times, but am just given the recorded message saying, "due to the overwhelming amount of calls, we are not able to help you at this time, we are sorry for the inconvenience." Click. After a month of filing and getting nothing in return, I decide to give up on the hope that the government is actually going to come through.
Today, I get a statement balance from Chase saying that I now have $330 in my account from the good 'ol LA Workforce Commission. It only took 2 months.
Can you imagine if you needed medicine or a life-saving surgery and had to wait TWO MONTHS for a response? Our government programs are entirely too slow to possibly be able to cope with the responsibility of our nations health. Plus, while I worked as a paralegal, a good 30% of our claims were from legitimately disabled people who had been denied coverage from the Social Security Administration and were struggling and forced to hire a lawyer to help them get by.
I cannot think of one government program that runs quickly and efficiently enough for me to have faith that socialized healthcare is a feasible possibility. I don't want my health to depend on submitting even more loads of paperwork, and waiting months and months for a response.
I also have a friend, David, who is from Russia - and his experience with socialized medicine is a little scary. He said that when he would go to the doctor, his parents would have to take chocolate and wine to bribe the doctor to actually pay attention to him - doctors were so overwhelmed with patients and poorly paid that it was an accepted fact of life.
No thanks.
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Anyway, life here has been going okay. I know that I definitely don't have the trophy-wife gene...I freaking hate this unemployment stuff. Yeah, sleeping in and not working is nice for a little while, but.....it gets old. I really like knowing that I can support myself and pull my own weight, and I really just like being financially repsonsible for myself. Thank goodness I should be working in the next week or two. Pray that I can pass my licensing exam!
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I'm hoping to run a half-marathon this summer, and *crossing my fingers* a full marathon in the fall. But my knee is STILL f'ed up, so who knows what will happen. I talked my friend Mandy into running the half-marathon with me this summer so now I will hopefully have someone to train with, hooray!!
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That's all folks. My life is pretty boring.
2 comments:
I hear you on the slowness of government programs. On the other hand, waiting and paperwork in exchange for healthcare is probably a good trade for those whose other option is waiting for a miracle and no healthcare. Even if medicine gets socialized, there'll still be capitalist private doctors you'll be able to pay if you want faster low-hassle health.
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good luck with the licensing exam!
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if your knee is effed, maybe shift over into something lower impact?
It scares me to think that health care could get any slower than it already is...I recently went into the ER for abdominal pain and spent 7 hours sobbing in the waiting room before seeing a doctor for 3 minutes. I work in healthcare and think that it's a trainwreck :(
It's good that you're starting back to work soon (best of luck with the exam, by the way!) - I had a two week break between jobs this last time around and thought that I was going to go crazy after a few days of sitting around the house - I don't know how you've made it this long!
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