Health Insurance
We’ve forgotten two things in this country (listed in order of priority)

1) Life is precious. It is the most valuable thing we have, and we should be willing to do anything we can to protect it (don’t go all abortion on me here, although one could argue that this is one issue that has contributed to the devaluing of life). It’s expensive to maintain life, especially under circumstances when life is in jeopardy. At those times we should be thankful that there are options available, and realize that what we’re willing to pay for something is a measure of its worth to us.

2) We’ve gotten used to the idea of someone else paying for our health care. Do you see a list of services and costs at the doctor’s office? No, you don’t. Because you don’t care; someone else is paying for it.

The best way to reform the system is to make consumers responsible for their costs.

a) Expand availability and maximums for health care FSAs. Allow FSAs to be used to purchase insurance as well as pay for health care.

b) Remove employer mandates. This will inject competition into the insurance marketplace by encouraging consumers to purchase their own insurance at a cost known to them. Employers should be encouraged to add to employees’ salaries the cost of their share of whatever insurance they had provided to their employees to offset the cost of insurance.

c) Remove coverage mandates. This will allow consumers to purchase those products that they actually need. People could purchase catastrophic care insurance and pay for their own preventative care, or they could purchase a low-deductible full-service plan, or something in between.

d) Encourage cost to become part of the doctor/patient conversation. Providers should make cost information more available to their customers so they can make better-informed decisions.

e) Require a part of SS, Medicare, Disability, Welfare checks to be placed in an FSA allowing coverage to the millions that are not able to currently have coverage. If this requires an increase in the amount given it will still be cheaper than the other proposed methods.

f) Those having portions taken out of checks from point E, could be placed in a government handled or contracted FSA program allowing it to be well monitored and keeping with the requirement.

There is no need to punish those already receiving health care on their own or choosing not to carry health care simply to try and fix a much smaller sector of society. If you focus on that sector you can accomplish more than if you try and make a vague and sweeping legislation that will cost more and negatively effect others.

Undeserving grace abounds
Lost in understanding mercy
I struggle to find peace
Forever indebted

A gift or a curse
I cannot repay my debt
It follows me
Forever stained

Absolution defies logic
Blamelessness irrational
Forgiveness even questionable
Forever unimaginable

Will you rescue me?
There seems no reason
My actions are repulsive
Forever repeated

Where is my condemnation?
Where is my justice?
I deserve no less
Forever guilty

Your offer is hard to believe
Your offer is hard to refuse
Forever living
Forever free

Battered by draining thought
Minutes of physicality wasting away
The ever pressing loss
The ever pressing reality

I collapse, an empty shell
An outer coating of a man
Internally vacant
Internally empty

Hope escapes me
Anger rides me
Defeated I lie
Defeated I die

Lift me from my grave
Position me with your hands
Pull me from the water
Pull me from the darkness

Make your victory in me
Battle the evil within
Shelter me from the pain
Shelter me from the decomposition

I rest here broken
Embattled and fatigued
Losing my will
Losing my being

Reverse my course
Steady my hand
Revitalize my mind
Revive me