| I wrote the Independece Institute back in January of 2010. At that time, the HCR debate was raging and I was tired of hearing Jon Caldera tell me what's best for MY family. My situation is that my baby was born with a portwine stain, thankfully nothing life-threatening, but something that needs to be taken care of or he'll have incredible difficulty walking when he reaches his 30's. And fixing it is not cheap, requiring monthly laser surgeries that cost $2,500 a pop for the uninsured. Here are pictures of what Sebastian looks like before every treatment (with his mommy, body numbed and wrapped in plastic) and after:
Thank god I have employee-based care -- backed by good ole, government-mandated HIPAA so I won't lose it no matter what. (That's what always gets me, people against HCR because they don't understand the insurance world outside of their employer-fed world.) But I can't get independent health insurance so starting my own business is impossible.
I pleasantly explained to him why he was wrong about his position against HCR and that I'd been rejected and am unable to be the entrepreneur he wants us all to be. No private insurer will cover my son, I say. How can they possibly make money charging me $1,000 a month and having to pay out $2,500? It's a profit-based system. They can't. That's why I was rejected.
Jon Caldera, for whatever reason, decided to personally respond to my email. Nice of him. He explained how a pair of his children have had medical problems, one who, based on description, will be absolutely uninsurable when he comes of age. And he does not support HCR? Amazing.
He offered me some options:
As for your situation I am confused. If you wish to strike out on your own employment, insurance or pre-existing conditions are not holding you back. By state law a "business group of one" may purchase group insurance products which cannot exclude pre-existing conditions.
Well, that's odd. This insurance cannot exclude pre-existing conditions? Well, that sounds like government regulation!!! Mr. Caldera was certainly sounding a little commie to me. Sadly, that option wasn't going to work. Not only was it not possible, it also seems a little ludicrous I'd only be able to get insurance if I was running a company. What if I just needed healthcare for my newborn baby? Does the life of a child (or adult) not matter unless they are in business? Ridiculous.
His next suggestion:
Even if you do not qualify for a business group of one, Colorado has a "high-risk pool" called Cover Colorado for people with pre-existing conditions or limited means.
I decided to find out more about this seemingly angelic Cover Colorado organization. What a breath of fresh air! Certainly they should dominate the market with their good, caring values...
CoverColorado was established by the Colorado legislature in 1991 to help more Coloradans gain access to health care...
WAIT, WHAT?!?!?!?!?! GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTH INSURANCE!!! It's socialized medicine! Jon Caldera told me this is what I should do?? He's advocating becoming government dependent. Instead of paying my own way with private health insurance, I should get government-subsidized insurance from the taxpayers.
Seriously. Mr. Caldera, I don't have "limited means." I have the money. I just need someone willing to take my money and insure my son.
What does Jon Caldera say to this?
It seems to me that you might want to do more research about your options before you endorse a federally mandated system that could endanger the health insurance options of our state - options that could be much more beneficial to you and your family.
I'm well-versed, Jon. Perhaps you should take your own advice. And be happy that Obama's HCR will keep your son from being dependent on that diabolical government-run care now...while you run ads railing against it. |
