PREVENTING POOR HEALTH HELPS KEEP COST DOWN

PREVENTING POOR HEALTH HELPS KEEP COST DOWN
Now that the infighting is over, the American public who declined to bore themselves with the task of reading the fine print of a massive document may decide that the health care bill is about the people after all. It is still true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Talk to anyone who has tried to lose weight and he may say the pounds were easier to put it on than to take it off. There is ample documentation that support the fact that obesity causes health issues. As I was perusing the article on the new health initiatives for prevention in the New York Times, I found myself hopeful about health care, not about health care reform but health care for the people. We should not be surprised that Congress would make more fuss over abortion and taxes than they would initiatives to prevent disease and encourage healthy behavior.
We easily take our vehicles in for preventative maintenance to maintain the warranty if nothing else. We upkeep our hair, nails, yards, spring clean our homes and we even take our pets to the veterinarian. It is beyond me that it would take nine months after President Obama signs a bill into law to regulate tobacco products that we finally see a spotlight "shined" on prevention.
With all the advertising about early screenings for prevention of cancer and other diseases, even Congress knows which battles to choose. It is one thing for constituents to think a politician is callous, it is quite another for the Congressman to put his mouth and vote in action to prove it.
All the hoopla about the health care reform caused nothing but fear in the minds and hearts of otherwise sensible voters. However, there was little mention of all the prevention measures included in the bill to help ensure long term health care is not needed.
Insurance by its very nature is designed to provide care for the beneficiary. It appears however, health insurance has more loop holes than fish net stockings. If diseases and illnesses are prevented in the first place, it would no doubt alleviate some financial burden for the insurance companies. However, the insurance companies would rather beneficiaries stay healthy. The government is ensuring the insurance companies and those earning more in dollars and cents will share perhaps more in the burden of a healthier society. Congress would rather receive their health benefits at no cost to themselves. The American public is asked to stand behind lawmakers and believe any change is detrimental to all people. It is a known fact that someone will bear the brunt of the cost and it will be those who make the most money. There will always be poor among us but at the very least, we can try to give everyone an opportunity to see how sick or how well he or she really is.