We the Uninsured People....

Jennifer Moore, staff writer

How does someone without insurance pay for medical expenses these days?

As one of the unlucky uninsured, when I think about how much it costs for prescriptions and doctor's visits, I find it more than a little daunting. Without insurance, it is nearly impossible for a person making an average salary to pay for these things.

In 2003, a study showed that 15.6 percent of people in the U.S. are without insurance. This translates into an estimated 45 million people. Research has been conducted numerous time that shows time and time again that people without insurance can't afford to go to the doctor for regular check-ups or for minor symptoms that could be early warning signs for serious illness.

On the whole, these people go to the emergency room, if they go anywhere. There, they are treated for any immediate problems, but tests are rare. I shudder to think how many people might walk out of the hospital and die shortly thereafter simply because they couldn't afford to be sick. Somehow, making less money made them unworthy of being properly cared for, even if their lives were at stake.

I can't speak for the other millions, but as an uninsured citizen, I have a job, as does my husband, but neither of us carries insurance benefits due to the size of the companies we work for. I go to a health clinic in Lubbock for uninsured patients. The clinic does not accept insurance, only payments directly from the customers. This practice makes the visits more affordable, but it still stretches the limit. The reason for this is that any medical equipment, medicine or supplies are extremely expensive, and the costs can't be cut very far.

I realize that the price of everything is rising in today's world, not just the cost of medicine. I just don't think that a gallon of gas can in any way equate to a person being diagnosed and treated early for cancer or diabetes. There are certain inalienable rights that U.S. citizens have. One of them should be freedom from unnecessary illness and suffering.

One alternative, of course, is socialized medicine. Now, before those of you against the notion go to the next article, hear me out. Socialized medicine would enable every person in the United States to have proper medical care. Through that, the nation would have a stronger workforce, which in turn would increase productivity and cause a rise in the GNI. There is, of course, a matter of funding, which would probably result in higher taxes.  But I would be willing to make less net income if I didn't have to worry about how to fund my next trip to the doctor.

I've never really seen why socialized health care is such a bad option. I have yet to hear a valid argument against it. The nations that have socialized health care have done well it seems.  It would make health care available to everyone and eliminate the need for insurance companies, which rate with me right above that gunk you find under your refrigerator after you move it.

I'm not saying it's a perfect answer; I just think it's the best answer to a bad problem. I'm not much for politics, so I'm not even sure how feasible it is. I just know that socialized health care sounds like a good idea, and that if other countries can do it successfully, maybe the United States, the greatest of nations, could do so too. These nations aren't very different from the U.S. They have learned to balance a free economy with one socialized industry that improves quality of life for its citizens.