In Health Care Reform, Congress Members are Masters of Hypocrisy

Congress Members are Masters of Hypocrisy

By Gil Villagrán, MSW El Observador, San Jose, Oct. 9 2009

As health care reform bills wind their way through the labyrinth of Congressional committees, caucuses, lobbyist meals at five star dining rooms, district office forums, tea bag rants and secret deal making with the very industry any reform must regulate, the American public might ask: What kind of health insurance do members of Congress have?


Our nation's "masters of legislation" have a conveniently located health clinic right in the Capitol, called the Office of the Attending Physician, staffed by doctors, nurses, technicians, a pharmacy, chiropractor and physical therapist (for those painful golf injuries). In addition to assigned staff, on-call specialists are available, as well as treatment or surgery at veteran's and university hospitals throughout the nation. The clinic is initially funded by $3 million out of the U.S. Navy medical budget, with additional funds available. Medical staff report, "The services are the best on the planet." And so they should be for those charged with legislating our nation.


So what do the members of Congress pay for their health care? Would you believe: $503 per year? Yes, per year! And some do not even pay that amount, though they are not refused treatment for failing to pay the premium or for pre-existing conditions. The legislators also have a choice of ten health plans for their families, with the public paying 2/3 of the premiums, while they pay one-third. 


Americans might ponder this information as they pay their premiums for health insurance. Further questions: Is your insurance tied to your job? What happens when you lose your job, the company decides to not offer coverage, or you retire? Questions for the 60 million uninsured Americans: Are you healthy enough to obtain health insurance, and if so, can you afford it? Can any of us afford not to have health insurance? 


The truth is we are biological beings--at risk of injury or illness throughout our lives, and in the end, life is a terminal condition we cannot escape. We all need health care from prenatal to end of life. Responsible governance demands of an actual health care system of illness prevention (immunizations), health promotion (smoking cessation) and treatment alternatives so that we can all live the healthiest life possible. A state of well being for our nation must ensure health care for everyone, not just the wealthy, the presently employed or healthy, corporate CEOs. Everyone includes: the teacher, nurse, police officer, auto worker, bus driver, chef; but also the dishwasher with a persistent cold, the child care provider who needs an annual TB test, the woman who cannot survive another pregnancy, the coal miner coughing blood. 


We all need health care, not health care insurance. The present morass of buying health insurance in order to pay for our health care treatment is an absurd multi-billion dollar misdirection toward obtaining what we need: doctors, nurses, diagnostic exams, and the occasional surgery. I know of no insurance salesperson, actuarial analyst, lobbyist or ad agency pitchman who can cure any illness. All they do is take our money to then tell our doctors why our premiums do not cover what ails us, creating evermore esoteric loopholes to deny coverage. Tell your Congressional representatives you want the same health plan that you are paying for them to have. If they say the nation cannot afford such health care for everyone, you will know them to be Masters of Hypocrisy.