LJWorld.com

Just before the big Christmas blizzard, my next door neighbor and I had the foresight, or dumb luck, to purchase a snowblower. We purchased one much larger than we thought we would ever need.

We were wrong.

After the storm, my neighbor and I each did our own driveways, Then he did the driveway of the house next to him and I did the driveway of the lady next to me. The snow was really deep and shoveling that much snow would clearly be a monumental task for anyone.

It wasn't long before the young couple down the street came to ask for help as they had a large driveway and several vehicles. Then there were a couple of cars on the street that the snowplow had trapped with large ridges of snow.

As I finished that, I noticed a lady with a shovel working on the walk from her front door.

Well, I couldn't stand there with a large snowblower and let her face that task, so over I went and started on her driveway.

Across the street, the snow was deep enough that I couldn't tell where the driveway ended and the lawn began, but I did clear some of the snow behind and beside one vehicle.

Then, since I'd done that, I went down and did another driveway because it didn't seem fair to just arbitrarily stop, leaving some who'd gotten their driveways cleared and some who hadn't.

As you might guess, by 5 o'clock, I was pretty darn tired. The light was starting to fade, but I had only made it part way up my street. Some had gotten their driveways cleared and some had not.

Now, let me say that the motivation for my relating this tale is not that I want everyone to think that I am a nice guy, it is this letter to the editor by Dr. Steven Bruner.

As I'm sure I've said before, during my mother's final years I've spent a lot of time in emergency rooms, hospital rooms, waiting rooms, doctor's offices, assisted care facilities, and I can't recall what else. On occasion I've had occasion to talk to a few doctor's about insurance companies and the other bains of their profession. Anyone who's spent much time dealing with health insurance companies, patient or health care provider must surely see the system is crazy. I had the routine test that you're supposed to have when you turn 50 (even though I don't feel that old). It took a year and several phone calls to the insurance company, my doctor's office, the insurance company again. And this was neither the first time with this company, nor the first insurance company I've been through this with.

Have you spent any time in "assisted care" facilities? Places filled with old people with nothing to do and few visitors. My mother was fortunate to be there only for short periods after hospital stays. I know that there are many more that spend their last years in places like that.

So, anyway, as I stood their with my snowblower as the light faded on that picturesque winter scene, I felt more than a little guilt for all those people who would be struggling with the huge drifts of snow. I just couldn't help them all.

Reading Dr. Bruner's letter made me think of that day. Though the consequences of not clearing those drives is much less than that of someone not getting the medical care they need, I think I understand his point.

No, I'm not trying to persuade you to support a national healthcare plan. I am trying to convince you that the status quo is really screwed up and you should expect better.

The show "Sick Around the World' is airing on PBS again tonight. I posted a link to the online video the last time it aired, but it's worth posting again.

I have spent a lot of time dealing with the medical system in my life. Watching this show, and others on the subject, I've come to some conclusions. To me, they are inescapable.

1. Our healthcare system is very poor. If you compare it to that in other nations, it is absolutely terrible.
   
2. It seems to be the general consensus among those opposed to national health care is that our government is too incompetent to run it. They may well be right. If so, we Americans should be embarrassed. I know I am.
3. Somebody is making a lot of money in the U.S. healthcare business. Looking at my own medical bills, and those for my mother, the prices for medical supplies are even higher than popcorn at a KU basketball game.

One telling statistic fact from the video. An MRI in the US costs about $1200. In Japan, it is $90. Who is getting the other $1010 here?

If you didn't watch the show on PBS, click on the link above.