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The Haves and the Have-Nots

Living in the UK, It's always interesting for me to listen to the seemingly endless debate about access to healthcare in the United States and so I read with interest Sarah's post on the issue.

While the debate rages on about what system is the best in terms of health care, I can't help but notice that those who run screaming for the hills at the mere mention of a socialised medical system are the same people who can afford a good medical insurance policy, thank you very much.

My problem really is not what medical system you favour, that's up to you. My problem is the seeming lack of compassion for those who for whatever reason cannot pay for medical treatment for their families.

From where I'm sitting it's not hard to see the hypocrisy of Christian's who would rightly rejoice at the young woman who eventually decides against a termination yet turn their back on her when her child falls ill and she has no money to pay for appropriate care.

Comments

Sheena, good to see your response. I'm all about Christians being engaged in the political process, but I think we've bought in to the fact that issues are first political and therefore speak the civil language of rights (or no rights). We bought the idea that idea that issues are political or religious and have thus enabled the sacred/secular dichotomy. I'm not saying that the health care issue is easy to fix, and I'm not persuaded that it's anything more than a middle-class issue in the US (there are systems in place for the poor - those could be fixed too), but I do agree we need to look at it and consider it an issue of our faith in practice.

Posted by: Sarah Flashing at November 1, 2007 3:04 PM

On the other hand, your last paragraph may contain a fallacy. One's position on abortion doesn't necessitate that they are turning their back on her as it pertains to the health care issue. And I don't know if a state in the US that doesn't provide for child health care through medicaid programs. I gave birth to my first through a medicaid state funded program - and it was awesome care from midwives.

Posted by: Sarah Flashing at November 1, 2007 3:14 PM

I'll bow to your knowlege of the system, you have better knowlege of it than I could ever have from this side of the pond!

my knowlege of how your medicaid system works is lacking, but I do see christian mums on some of the blogs I read sharing how they have no insurance and therefore no money for medication, Drs appointments etc for their sick child.

Now I have no idea how that works, would they have access to medicaid and does that pay for medication if you have a chronic illness for example?

Our NHS system has many faults (I worked as a nurse in it for over 10 yrs) but it is free at the point of delivery and you won't be turned away. Prescriptions are free for children and pregnant mums and around $12 for the rest of us, regardless of the actual cost of the medication.

Posted by: Sheena at November 1, 2007 6:36 PM
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