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Good job, Senators

After all the waiting and political posturing, today the U.S. senated voted no on a straight repeal of the Affordable Care Act (commonly known as Obamacare).

In the days leading up to this you heard many, including POTUS, urged the senators who had campaigned on repeal of the ACA to step up and deliver on their promise.

Today, the U.S. Senate voted not to repeal.

For those who had campaigned on the promise of repeal but decided to vote No because it hurt your constituents, I respect you.

Campaigning for something and then trying to follow through blindly despite learning how it hurts those you represent is — well to me, it isn’t doing your job at all.

The ACA isn’t perfect.

But a full repeal that would result in coverage loss for millions of Americans with no answer in sight is downright wreckless.

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Obamacare

I stopped by the grocery store tonight on the way home from clinic. I usually don’t take off my white coat until I get home. But I’m not about to wear my white coat and stethoscope around in the grocery store. So I got out of my car, took of the coat and scope, and tossed it back in the car.

Perhaps he didn’t see the white coat. But as I walked towards the door the man at the table yelled out to me, “Sir, petition to repeal Obamacare!.”

I walked over to see what it was all about. I’m not posting for or against the healthcare policies that were just put into place. What I am writing about is this guy’s reasons for the petition.

He summed it up this way (paraphrased):

What it comes down to is this: We weren’t allowed to vote on it. It was just shoved down our throats. They just shoved healthcare at us whether we want it or not.

 
I couldn’t help but smile. THAT is what it all comes down to?!? I looked at this obese man, likely a smoker, who would be old enough for medicare in 10-15 years. Clearly he hasn’t taken good care of himself. And he doesn’t want healthcare shoved down his throat? Who has to deal with all the chronic conditions due to his poor life choices and lack of preventive care when it all comes crashing down in his older years?

To be honest, I don’t know the details of the massive healthcare bill that was passed. And I probably disagree with many parts and agree with others.

But one thing it does push is preventive care at the primary care level. And I’m all for that.

Why are people against being given healthcare? I don’t get it.

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Celebs Speak Out: Protect American Insurance Companies

If you live in America and haven’t been a hermit for the past few months you will surely have heard about this whole healthcare debate. Here are some celebrities who are speaking out urging us to protect insurance companies (satire). The celebrities include Jon Hamm, Will Ferrel, and Olivia Wilde who have all joined to collaborate with Funny Or Die.

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On a side note, I had a lecture today where the lecturer said that he doesn’t believe there is an answer to our healthcare problems. Government’s solution is to try something we aren’t doing and see if it works. He noted that in the UK, there is also a healthcare debate with the National Health Service (NHS) and the British government is inviting American insurance companies to discuss ways to try something different (more like the American system) which will allow people to opt out of NHS coverage. Food for thought…