I was midway through the morning last week seeing patients when I noticed the patient I was talking to was uninsured. She told me that she was a single mom with one son out of the house and a teenage daughter at home. She works at Tim Horton’s for minimum wage and earned too much to qualify for health coverage with Medicaid. The last thing that this gal needs is a tax credit on her income tax for health care expenditures. She needs more than that. She needs health care. Period.
So last night I watch the Republican candidates square off on a Fox News debate. Each offers their own version of free market based solution. Congressman Tom Cancredo summed up the misconception of most of those in government. He said that for those who can’t afford to pay for health coverage, there’s Medicaid. He should try working at Tim Horton’s.
And that’s the problem with health coverage. Those who currently are in office and who do not have to worry about being covered have no idea of what it’s like on the streets. What it’s like having a sick child when you can’t afford to pay the bill. Or the ever looming threat of bankruptcy. It’s real and it’s crippling so many.
Jeff
