Why are the idiots on capital hill wasting time to pass affordable health care reform?
The reason they waste time and won't agree to a public option is because they have never been in a situation where they didn't have the coverage they need combined with not having the money to cover what the insurance doesn't pay.
If any of these schmucks were really in touch with their constituents who are struggling to get good medical care because they can't afford it then there wouldn't be such a debate.
It sickens me to no end watching these entitled, rich people waste time with something so important to people who are not so fortunate. I am one of those people. I can't afford to get the care I need so I'm suffering on a daily basis. On top of my physical suffering I get to stress about the medical bills I have accumulated which did not accomplish a proper diagnosis and treatment plan or any form of a solution. Just wasted money that I didn't have in the first place.
If I lived in France, I would be in the hospital until they could determine what the cause of my physical issue is and then form a solution and implement that solution to fix the problem. The entire time I would be in the hospital I wouldn't have to stress about losing my job. In fact, I would be paid a percentage of my income for that time so I would be able to pay bills. My job would be waiting for me no matter how long my solution took to implement. I would return to work healthier and more capable of doing my best work. The best part is that I would not be overwhelmed with medical bills either. My treatment wouldn't cost me a thing.
Why is it so hard for our government to copy a system such as France's? If we were truly as smart as we claim to be we would be doing just that.
I am not proud to be an American much these days. I am too sick and frustrated to agree with political grid-lock. If that's what being American is all about then I think I need to find another country.
Tamara Nicholas, ASW (formerly Imes)
Innately Gifted Intuitive/Medium, Spiritualist, Activist, and Humanitarian
Friday, October 30, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
A quote and a story with a moral about morals or (at least) consciences.
My employer, Catholic Community Services-St. Mary's for Men, was asking its employees for quotes so that they can put them up on the wall of our building. So I decided to create my own and it says: "True happiness isn't obtained or purchased. True happiness comes from within and everyone is entitled to it because what's within all of us is God." --Tamara Nicholas, October 1, 2009
I thought it was befitting for a Catholic facility. Apparently the gal accepting the quotes didn't agree with me because she didn't use it. Does it suck that bad?
On the subject of this gal (who will remain nameless) at work who was accepting the quotes... Three or four weeks ago the RCA (that's what I am) who works weekdays, day shift went to the hospital ER with chest pain. It turned out he had a torn aorta and needed emergency open heart surgery. Well, he was in ICU several days then transferred to telemetry for about a week then discharged. As you can imagine his medical bills were expected to be more than he could handle since the position of RCA only pays between $9.00 and $10.00 an hour. Our insurance benefits (which our employer pays 100% of the premium on the employee only) doesn't cover jack shit.
So, this "gal" at work who does the payroll sent out a company-wide email stating that all employees who wish to contribute to a fund for the employee who was in the hospital could do so via their payroll check. It was to be an after tax deduction of whatever amount we wished to contribute. I thought it was very nice for them to do this for my co-worker. I, myself, have been going through many health issues and have had several ER visits, blood work, radiology tests, and doctor visits (even a colonoscopy and endoscopy which total over $1800.00 for the two scopes alone). I was forced to file a chapter 13 after being out of work for over two years and having several huge kidney stones which took six months and many ER visits, blood work, radiology tests, and doctor visits for the "professionals" to find the stones. After they found them I had lithotripsy done to break them up so I could pass them which (after the COBRA insurance paid their portion I was left owing $700 for that procedure alone - not to mention that the premiums for the COBRA were over $300/month) back in 2008.
Anyway, medical bills exceeding $5000 on top of my insurance premiums and having to use credit cards in order to eat and buy gas to transport me to job interviews and my husband to work (not to mention I lost my business due to this prolonged illness that could have been diagnosed immediately if any of the "professionals" knew what they were doing) forced us into bankruptcy court. I know this is a long story but the point I'm trying to set up here is that I have been accruing tons and tons of medical bills after filing for chapter 13 so I can not add these newer medical expenses to the bankruptcy. I have to pay everything I owe (which is over $5,000 at this point due to the crappy coverage and pre-existing clause) or they will send me to collections who will then garnish 25% of my pay - one creditor at a time which could go on for quite a while.
My point? Well, even though I am financially ruined (myself) I knew that my friend at work would need help because his bills would be so high. Even though I struggle to meet my basic needs with the menial income I have and the overwhelming amount of debt I owe I still sent an email reply to this "gal" in payroll telling her to take $20 out of my check to donate to the friend in need. I am not expecting koodos because that's not what motivated me to help. What the final moral to this story is goes like this. When my friend's daughter came in to pick up his first check after going into the hospital the woman from "upstairs" came to give her the check and told her, "there's an extra $20 as well." I about lost it inside my head. I couldn't believe that no one else contributed to help this guy out. Many, many more "higher-ups" who have much higher salaries than me or the guy in the hospital couldn't find an extra $5.00 or even $1.00 to contribute. Not one other person, not even the "gal" who drafted and sent the email asking for donations. How jacked up and greedy has our society become for this to be true?
I was appauled when I heard my former boss who took a promotion out of that position tell his daughter, "there's an extra $20" like that was something fucking spectacular. It was a disgrace. That money (by itself, ie, only $20) would have been better served if I'd kept it and applied it to my own heavy medical expenses. Twenty dollars, alone, will not do a thing for this man and all the bills he'll be stuck paying. If that doesn't make anyone else say, "what the fuck?" Then, apparently, I'm the only one in the world who has retained their intelligence and/or sanity.
People make me so fucking sick sometimes (most of the time). I really wish there were more good-hearted and generous people in the world because the world wouldn't be such a shit-hole if that were the case. Unfortunately (for all of us who still have a conscience left within ourselves) the world is a shit-hole ran by ass-bags who aren't worthy to breathe our air. They are sucking the oxygen that we need while they get rich doing it, screwing us both physically and financially all the way to the bank. But hey, they can afford to get sick. They are the ones who get to live and live well. Shouldn't we be happy sacraficing our own health and quality of life to assist such cold-hearted, conscience lacking individuals to further evolve and spread their sickness of greed and selfishness? I think not. I say that they start selling hunting licenses to all the decent people in the world allowing for open season on ass-bags.
That's all. But who really gives a shit anyway?
Tamara Nicholas
I thought it was befitting for a Catholic facility. Apparently the gal accepting the quotes didn't agree with me because she didn't use it. Does it suck that bad?
On the subject of this gal (who will remain nameless) at work who was accepting the quotes... Three or four weeks ago the RCA (that's what I am) who works weekdays, day shift went to the hospital ER with chest pain. It turned out he had a torn aorta and needed emergency open heart surgery. Well, he was in ICU several days then transferred to telemetry for about a week then discharged. As you can imagine his medical bills were expected to be more than he could handle since the position of RCA only pays between $9.00 and $10.00 an hour. Our insurance benefits (which our employer pays 100% of the premium on the employee only) doesn't cover jack shit.
So, this "gal" at work who does the payroll sent out a company-wide email stating that all employees who wish to contribute to a fund for the employee who was in the hospital could do so via their payroll check. It was to be an after tax deduction of whatever amount we wished to contribute. I thought it was very nice for them to do this for my co-worker. I, myself, have been going through many health issues and have had several ER visits, blood work, radiology tests, and doctor visits (even a colonoscopy and endoscopy which total over $1800.00 for the two scopes alone). I was forced to file a chapter 13 after being out of work for over two years and having several huge kidney stones which took six months and many ER visits, blood work, radiology tests, and doctor visits for the "professionals" to find the stones. After they found them I had lithotripsy done to break them up so I could pass them which (after the COBRA insurance paid their portion I was left owing $700 for that procedure alone - not to mention that the premiums for the COBRA were over $300/month) back in 2008.
Anyway, medical bills exceeding $5000 on top of my insurance premiums and having to use credit cards in order to eat and buy gas to transport me to job interviews and my husband to work (not to mention I lost my business due to this prolonged illness that could have been diagnosed immediately if any of the "professionals" knew what they were doing) forced us into bankruptcy court. I know this is a long story but the point I'm trying to set up here is that I have been accruing tons and tons of medical bills after filing for chapter 13 so I can not add these newer medical expenses to the bankruptcy. I have to pay everything I owe (which is over $5,000 at this point due to the crappy coverage and pre-existing clause) or they will send me to collections who will then garnish 25% of my pay - one creditor at a time which could go on for quite a while.
My point? Well, even though I am financially ruined (myself) I knew that my friend at work would need help because his bills would be so high. Even though I struggle to meet my basic needs with the menial income I have and the overwhelming amount of debt I owe I still sent an email reply to this "gal" in payroll telling her to take $20 out of my check to donate to the friend in need. I am not expecting koodos because that's not what motivated me to help. What the final moral to this story is goes like this. When my friend's daughter came in to pick up his first check after going into the hospital the woman from "upstairs" came to give her the check and told her, "there's an extra $20 as well." I about lost it inside my head. I couldn't believe that no one else contributed to help this guy out. Many, many more "higher-ups" who have much higher salaries than me or the guy in the hospital couldn't find an extra $5.00 or even $1.00 to contribute. Not one other person, not even the "gal" who drafted and sent the email asking for donations. How jacked up and greedy has our society become for this to be true?
I was appauled when I heard my former boss who took a promotion out of that position tell his daughter, "there's an extra $20" like that was something fucking spectacular. It was a disgrace. That money (by itself, ie, only $20) would have been better served if I'd kept it and applied it to my own heavy medical expenses. Twenty dollars, alone, will not do a thing for this man and all the bills he'll be stuck paying. If that doesn't make anyone else say, "what the fuck?" Then, apparently, I'm the only one in the world who has retained their intelligence and/or sanity.
People make me so fucking sick sometimes (most of the time). I really wish there were more good-hearted and generous people in the world because the world wouldn't be such a shit-hole if that were the case. Unfortunately (for all of us who still have a conscience left within ourselves) the world is a shit-hole ran by ass-bags who aren't worthy to breathe our air. They are sucking the oxygen that we need while they get rich doing it, screwing us both physically and financially all the way to the bank. But hey, they can afford to get sick. They are the ones who get to live and live well. Shouldn't we be happy sacraficing our own health and quality of life to assist such cold-hearted, conscience lacking individuals to further evolve and spread their sickness of greed and selfishness? I think not. I say that they start selling hunting licenses to all the decent people in the world allowing for open season on ass-bags.
That's all. But who really gives a shit anyway?
Tamara Nicholas
Friday, October 23, 2009
The old blogger "Are You Serious?"
Hi, my name is Tamara Nicholas (formerly Imes) and I would like to welcome you all to "Are You Serious?". A Blog where the rhetoric is, at times, not so serious but the topics and issues are always very in your face.
I hope everyone and anyone from everywhere and anywhere will find this a place to kick up their heels and let their hair down. No one's opinion is disregarded here. On the same note it may not be agreed with either. So--
Pray for the sinners--ain't none of us saints. There's cause for alarm, but it's never too late. Say what you want, play what you want, spray what you want, but today here's a thought.
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. God's coming quick, but Satan's coming first.
Open your heart and start with a prayer. Today is all gone, but tomorrow is there. Never be greedy and always be true. Ask with sincerity and you'll know what to do. The end's drawing nearer. I can't say it clearer. I'm reaching out to you with both hands. Now grab them...
Peace!
I hope everyone and anyone from everywhere and anywhere will find this a place to kick up their heels and let their hair down. No one's opinion is disregarded here. On the same note it may not be agreed with either. So--
Pray for the sinners--ain't none of us saints. There's cause for alarm, but it's never too late. Say what you want, play what you want, spray what you want, but today here's a thought.
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. God's coming quick, but Satan's coming first.
Open your heart and start with a prayer. Today is all gone, but tomorrow is there. Never be greedy and always be true. Ask with sincerity and you'll know what to do. The end's drawing nearer. I can't say it clearer. I'm reaching out to you with both hands. Now grab them...
Peace!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Are You Serious? on Yuku
Are You Serious? on Yuku. Are You Serious? on Windows Live. There is an "Are You Serious?" on blogger, but it doesn't allow me to edit any of it and it says it's inaccessable sometimes.
Hmmm. What to do about that issue? Well, for now, I'll recommend that you check out the other two sites for this writing group.
Tamara Nicholas, ASW (formerly Imes)
Published Author and Poet
Spiritualist, Activist, and Humanitarian
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)