Bohemia Village Voice

Diane Haberstroh writes from Bohemia, New York

Health care reform
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK about healthcare reform recently. One older gentleman is concerned about the impact it might have on his Medicare benefits (Medicare is a government insurance for seniors). Another resident said that she was for reform, if it would eliminate some of the unfairness and greed plaguing the system. I feel that some kind of change is necessary, and I am willing to accept some of the personal ramifications, if it improves the overall system.
One problem is that doctors and hospitals charge very large fees, but these are discounted for insurance companies. Only patients who do not have any health insurance have to pay the actual very high full fee. For the 2.5 million New Yorkers who have no health insurance this can be a problem. Many of us receive our healthcare insurance through our employers, so if you become unemployed, not only has your income stopped, but also your health insurance. Not having health insurance is a gamble some people take, and if they do wind up in a hospital they will be hit with very large medical bills.
American pharmaceutical companies last year spent $31.5 billion on research and at least $57.7 billion on advertising. Many TV ads for prescription drugs have appeared. For example, there are ads for Ambien and Lunesta, both prescription sleep medications, telling insomniacs that they should ask their doctors for them. These ads quickly run through a long list of side effects, one of which is  “can cause drowsiness” (one would hope so).  Then there is the Viagra commercial with men sitting around singing Viva Viagra, to the tune of  Viva Las Vegas.  These commercials encourage viewers to ask their doctor to prescribe these drugs. One doctor stated that he has patients asking for medications for which they don’t even have the disorder. But those with health insurance don’t have to pay the full cost of the doctor’s visit, or the medication. I was surprised when I was told that my son’s acne medication without insurance would cost me about $500 a month. But I paid a lot less, roughly $20. In spite of all this, I’m personally not against a capitalistic system. If healthcare reform can eliminate some of the unfairness plaguing our system, I look forward to the change.   DH