2009 September 02 » Lost and Found

2nd September 2009

Health Care Reform – My Take On It

I usually use this blog to put up a video of me being a talking head. This time, I’m going to do something different. I’m going to give you a link to a video — but it isn’t mine.

Here’s the link:

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08282009/watch.html

This is from the Bill Moyer’s Journal. It’s about the world of medicine. It’s also based on the book by Maggie Mahar, called, Money Driven Medicine: The Real Reason Health Care Costs So Much. The video is in two parts -=- and I highly recommend you watch both parts.

After you watch the video, read on — as I’d like to share my own health care story as my way of saying, “The video is right — health care is money-driven and here’s one example!”

I’m also going to send the link to this blog post to my doctors and to my Representative to Congress and my Senators.

Here’s my story:

Many years ago while I was still residing in Vermont, I went out my back door to do some cross-country skiing in the first snowfall of the season. I think this was in 2000. Cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing were two of my favorite winter sports.

As I began to “shoosh” along, I got about 100 feet or so on my way when I had to stop because I couldn’t catch my breath.

To make a long story short, I had a lung problem caused by almost 40 years of smoking. Even though this happened in the year 2000, I had quit smoking many years before that, in 1983. It just took awhile for the disease to reach the point where it began to be more apparent.

I have excellent health insurance. I’m covered under my wife’s policy and also, because I’m 75 years old, I have Medicare Plan A.

This past January I had an Open Lung Biopsy to lock down a true diagnosis of what was wrong with my lungs. Fortunately, it isn’t cancer. The biopsy showed I have Pulmonary Fibrosis. I have the “scarring” variety of this disease, so there is no treatment for it other than the use of oxygen. It is a progressive disease for which there is no cure. In addition to experiencing extreme shortness of breath, the lack of oxygen in my lungs causes rapid heart rate if I’m exerting myself, even slightly.

So, I have three doctors — a pulmonologist, a cardiologist and my primary care doctor.

My pulmonary doctor has been regularly ordering CAT scans — there’s been one each year since I’ve been seeing him. He does these for comparison. My cardiologist has also ordered stress tests and cardiac catheterizations. I didn’t object and just went along with these expensive procedures. Plus, I have good insurance, so my “out-of-pocket” costs weren’t so awful.

At my most recent visits to these doctors, they again ordered these expensive procedures. At the same time, I began to get very involved in the current Health Care Reform debate. I took some time to really think about what was going on here.

My pulmonary fibrosis isn’t curable. The only thing that has helped me, or will help me, is the use of supplementary oxygen. Oh, there is the lung transplant, but not when you’re 75 years old! None of the CAT Scans were making me feel any better — they weren’t improving my quality of life — the disease isn’t curable — so what are these CAT Scans for? They were for my doctor to look at — compare to the most recent scan and determine that the disease has progressed a bit. But, wait a minute — didn’t we already know from the diagnosis that it was a progressive disease?

Are you seeing the point here? It’s about dollars, isn’t it?

And, the Stress Tests and Cardiac Caths — same deal — we know what’s causing the rapid heart beats — it’s the lack of oxygen which we can’t do anything about. I have my own cure which is to stop, grab the oxygen and rest until the heart rate goes back down. Those tests didn’t do a thing for me — they do nothing to improve my quality of life — they do nothing towards a cure — but they did put big dollars into someone’s pocket — and it wasn’t mine.

Both doctors have told me there is nothing that can be done — I just have to learn to live with it. Yet, they keep ordering these expensive procedures.

There’s something wrong with this picture, and the film I showed you above, tells me exactly what is wrong.

I am now refusing to accept these procedures. No more “Money Driven Medicine” for me.

Metta ….May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.

Namaste — Be in Peace.

Ron Rink
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Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

~~~ Buddha

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“Those who really seek the path to Enlightenment dictate terms to their mind. Then they proceed with strong determination.”

~~~ Buddha

Namaste!

You are special — and you are loved. You are the greatest gift you can be.

Shanti … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)