My Question of the Day: How does having/not having healthcare affect your life?

My 2 Cents: I’ve been on three sides of the healthcare issue—yes, three.

As a civilian, whenever I had a fulltime job, I had healthcare. When I got sick, needed dental care or glasses, I’d pay my copay, receive my services and go about my business.

As a soldier, healthcare was even more exceptional than when I was a civilian. If I got sick or injured, I’d go to the base medical facility, get fixed up and get whatever medicine I needed. The same was true for dental and vision. Everything was included in my benefits as a soldier. I didn’t have to worry about copays or prescription-drug costs. Forget buying anything over-the-counter. One doctor gave me a prescription for multivitamins, and one of the dentists I visited gave me a prescription for toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

As a self-employed individual, after leaving the Army and before becoming a part of another company’s payroll, I didn’t even think about getting insurance. I knew the rates would be astronomical, and I just prayed I’d stay healthy. For two years, that worked, but then I got so sick I had to go to an urgent care facility. I had a temperature of 102°. They made me pay $200 upfront since I wasn’t insured, and then when the doctor came to examine me, he told me the cost of everything before he did this or that. In the end, I left with some drug samples and they refunded my $100 because I refused all services I couldn’t afford. I’ll never forget that experience. It wasn’t cool.

Having healthcare is the net. Not having healthcare is walking a tightrope without the net.

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Take a few moments to check out the tweets from Twitter on this subject:

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PROTECTED TWEETER not having healthcare 1) can’t buy my meds..they are too expensive 2) can’t go to the doc, too expensive..etc

JoshDamage having healthcare affects my life positively…I know if I get sick I can get treatment

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