Today I am supposed to write about something else but it is not interesting so I am writing last Friday's topic: If it's not broke, don't fix it. This topic is about health care; what works and what doesn't.
Here in our town we have something similar to universal health care. There is a city-wide health care plan that employers or local people can pay into. If a small employer can not afford a group plan, they can pay for their employees to be part of the city-wide health care plan. People who live in the town can pay to be a part of the plan also. This way people can go to urgent care facilities rather than emergency rooms, they can see doctors if they are ill and can get preventive care such as flu shots. It helps us all by not having so many people getting so ill that they end up in the emergency room where they can't afford to pay for it.
There is also a special tax added to all restaurant bills that help to pay for all restaurant employees to be on the city-wide health care plan. It works out for everyone because sick employees are not coming to work and spreading the flu to more people. Restaurant employees do not get paid if they don't come to work so this helps them stay healthy and keeps the illness from spreading.
There are also mandatory paid sick days for all employees. This also helps keep illness from spreading. If ill people stay home, the illness doesn't spread. Ill employees won't stay home if they have to work to make money to live and eat or feed their kids. If they have a few days of paid sick leave they can stay home and get better without worrying about missing a days pay.
The simple steps above help to keep illnesses from spreading. This helps anyone with an autoimmune disease. I am highly susceptible to catching these illnesses. If people stay home when they have fevers and coughs, the rest of us would be less likely to catch the flu. A flu that puts someone in bed for a few days, could put me in bed for weeks.
The city-wide health plan and paid sick days are working in my town. What is working in your town?
This post was written as part of NHBPM – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J
This post was written as part of NHBPM – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J
We have pretty good hospitals and doctors here but as far as healthcare plans...well...one is on their own for that. I am having to look back into signing back up or trading my part d medication coverage plan. Well, it is as clear as mud. I have medication allergies and trying to find any place that has specific types of generic medications is a nightmare. So far I am paying for a plan I can't use at all, buying one generic pain medication from Walgreens and pay 100% out of my pocket for it and two other perscriptions from Costco and paying for them 100% out of pocket. I am also signed up for a $30 med plan thru Walgreens to reduce my out of pocket cost for this one generic pain med that I am not allergic to. Yup, as clear as mud if I don't mind saying so myself. Did I hear someone say...Murphy's law. It is wonderful that your town has any insurance given our economic times and all the cut backs. It is nice to hear.
ReplyDeleteWow Deb, you have to get your Rx from so many places. I would forget where to get my Rx from! You are doing a good job. Sorry you have to pay 100% out of pocket.
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