The Hardest Decision

This story is from the Vietnam conflict but has been repeated in almost all armed conflicts. A young soldier is in the bush with his squad when they are attacked by the enemy. A fierce fire fight ensues and as quick as it happens a burst of automatic fire stitches across the young man's body and he falls to the jungle floor with a scream. A Medic, who has the responsibility of the well being of the squad as his job, saw the young man fall and despite his better instincts he rushes through a hail of bullets to the boys side. It was bad and the Medic recognized that the young man had severe injuries. His stomach was opened and he was bleeding profusely internally. The Medic had a choice to make. The boy could bleed out or the Medic could reach a hand into the boys body and try to clamp the bleeding off. If he did nothing the boy would certainly, eventually die. If he reached inside his action may make the situation worse causing other complications and the boy would die. Or it might stop the bleeding. What did he do?

Few of you know that I spent over twenty years in the health insurance industry. First as an agent, then as an Agency Manager then as a Vice President. I have a first hand knowledge of where health care and health insurance in America is. If you are young and the company provides your insurance you probably don't understand the severity of this moment. For twenty years I helped families find quality health insurance and as the person in charge helped them with handling the bureaucracy and frustration of claims. I've had to purchase individual health insurance since 2002 when I retired from the insurance company. My premiums have more than doubled and almost to triple and my benefits have diminished badly. I know people that are "middle class" Americans that can't afford insurance. They are one accident away from financial disaster. Many disagree with me but I believe that as Americans we have a right to quality education and quality health care.

The young soldier in the jungle is the embodiment of health care and insurance in America today. The Medic's hand is health insurance reform. The Medic is the current Administration. Don't talk to me about cost. The patient will die without action. The health reform is messy and inadequate and in places incomprehensible but without trying, the patient will die.

Legislation of this magnitude is extremely hard to enact. I believe fully that if health reform is not enacted now I won't see it in my lifetime. While it is extremely hard to get that grand benevolent together on any one idea, we need to pass it. Changes and amendments later are a lot easier.

Sorry this wasn't as light hearted as I have been but someone asked.