Tag: Constitution

Let’s celebrate Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Health Care

We Americans may pride ourselves on not having “socialized” medicine or “national healthcare”, but we do have a health care system that is a combination of public and private funding and administration. And even private healthcare must comply with a myriad of local, state, and federal laws and regulations.

Every year on July 4th we celebrate Independence Day- the day the original 13 American colonies established an independent country.

They established a government, military, educational system, highway system, public works, and healthcare system.

We Americans may pride ourselves on not having “socialized” medicine or “national healthcare”, but we do have  a health care system that is a combination of public and private funding and administration. And even private healthcare must comply with a myriad of local, state, and federal laws and regulations.

Celebrate healthcare professionals

I believe we have one of the best healthcare systems in the world  because of the people who work in healthcare- the people who devote years to education and training and who work tirelessly 365 days a year, 24 hours a day to make and keep us well.  Their commitment, compassion, dedication and competence benefits all of us and deserves our gratitude.

Statue of Liberty
Lady Liberty lifting her torch in New York harbor-photo by Dr. Aletha

According to recent statistics, the United States government accounts for-

40% of healthcare  spending, totaling $1.3 trillion yearly

United States government healthcare covers 100 million individuals through 4 federal agencies

  • Department of Health and Human Services
  • Department of Defense
  • Veterans Administration
  • Department of Homeland Security

(JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), June 21, 2016)

Government-sponsored healthcare programs

The Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare

The  United States Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 to guarantee basic health insurance to all citizens.  During the last presidential campaign, President Trump vowed to “repeal and replace” this law but although it has been modified, it is still active

Healthcare for military service members, veterans,and their families

During the American Revolution the fledgling government extended health care benefits to the soldiers and veterans of that war; that system evolved into the current military health care system which covers service members and the Veterans’ Administration system for veterans.

a Veterans Administration clinic
a Veterans Administration clinic (photo by Dr. Aletha)
American soldiers serving in Afghanistan
American soldiers serving in Afghanistan

Medicare and Medicaid

Two other government healthcare programs- Medicare and Medicaid are over 50 years old. 

Medicaid provides insurance coverage for adults and children who are unemployed or low income.  

Medicare covers disabled children and adults  and persons 65 years and older.

  • Together these programs cover at least 30% of Americans.
  • Together they comprise 25% of all federal spending.
  • Together they pay 40% of total U.S. health care spending.

An infographic from the Kaiser Family Foundation and JAMA explains this further.

You may not be eligible for either of these programs now, but chances are eventually you or someone close to you will.

  • Anyone can become disabled from a serious illness or freak accident.
  • You or your spouse may lose your job and your employer sponsored health insurance.
  • Your child may have a disability that will prevent them from working when they grow up.
  • We may all live long enough to qualify for Medicare on the basis of age alone.  Your parents or grandparents are near or already at Medicare age.
ELDERLY COUPLE -189282_1280
Senior adults age 65 and older use Medicare.

It’s important to understand how Medicare works, since it’s not automatic; even if you qualify, you need to sign up to be covered (with a few exceptions). The rules are summarized here. Or consider an easy to understand book here. 

Federal healthcare agencies

  • Food and Drug Administration- FDA
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- CDC
  • National Institutes of Health- NIH
  • Occupational Safety and Health administration-OSHA
  • Drug Enforcement Agency-DEA
medication capsules
The FDA regulates the development and sale of medications and medical devices and the DEA regulates dangerous and controlled drugs.

LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HEALTHCARE

Federal healthcare laws

  • The Affordable Care Act- ACA
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-HIPPA
  • Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act- EMTALA
  • Americans with Disabilities Act-ADA
Liberty Bell -replica
I took this photo of a replica of the Liberty Bell at Walt Disney World

Let Freedom Ring

In the Declaration of Independence, the founders of the United States created a nation based on the “self-evident truths”  of  “Life ,Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” and to promote “Safety and Happiness” . 

In the Constitution they vowed to “promote the general Welfare” .

I wonder if they envisioned their new government would spend so much time and money providing and regulating health care -most of which was not available or even imagined at that time? 

Let’s celebrate!

woman holding a sprakler
Let’s celebrate! This photo and featured image from stock photo site- Lightstock.com (affiliate)

Exploring the HEART of Health

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a woman in a red, white, and blue shirt

Me, years ago, showing my patriotic spirit by posing in red, white, and blue

Dr. Aletha 

Words about government and a president

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the city of New York other major U.S. cities. Government response to the pandemic, both nationally and locally, has created both reassurance and resentment by citizens. And a series of incidents involving police brutality and private attacks against black citizens set off protests, riots, looting, and more violence.

Romans 13      English Standard Version (ESV)

Submission to the Authorities

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,for he is God’s servant for your good.

But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.

 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

from BibleGateway.com

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

statue of George Washington in Manhattan
General George Washington, first President of the United States of America- a photo I took on my only visit to New York City

This post was edited May 31, 2020
George Washington, President of the United States

“This impressive bronze equestrian portrait of George Washington (1732-1799), the first president of the United States, is the oldest sculpture in the New York City Parks collection. It was modeled by Henry Kirke Brown (1814-1886) and dedicated in 1856.”

George Washington was the first president of the U.S.; we will elect the 46th president in November 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the city of New York and other major U.S. cities. Government response to the pandemic, both nationally and locally, has created both reassurance and resentment by citizens. And a series of incidents involving police brutality and private attacks against black citizens set off protests, riots, looting, and more violence.

President Washington, as Commander of the Continental Army, led the colonies in a revolt against rule by England, and in numerous conflicts since the United States has fought back against rule by any foreign power again.

But what of our own government? How much rule is too much? How much control, even for our own good, is enough or too much? That is a question we may be grappling with long after the virus goes away.

George Washington died at 67 years old, making him someone who today would have higher risk of dying of COVID-19. His physicians called his condition quinsy, a term we in the U.S. don’t use today. Quinsy means an abscess in the throat and/or tonsils. Today doctors would treat it with antibiotics and surgery, but neither were available in 1799.

“In the aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the George Washington sculpture served as a touchstone for collective grieving and public expression, and became the central focus of a massive around-the-clock community vigil and a provisional shrine. These events reaffirmed the symbolic power of New York City’s most venerable outdoor work of art.”

Union Square Parks Monuments, copyright The City of New York

more thoughts about New York City at this link

Weekend Words to remember 9/11

exploring the HEART of health and history

Dr. Aletha