I found this letter through a link on Reddit and thought it worth reposting:

Amongst the four docs in our practice, we all want to see health care reform. The current system is broken and will only get worse. We are very disappointed, even angered, at the ridiculous debates that have been had these last few months which have been about everything but the actual reform. All the scare tactics, lies, misinformation I had hoped maybe only "fringe" individuals would believe. Instead the elderly were preyed upon, veterans, other vulnerable people. Sickening.

We want simple cuts in cost, not in service. No docs want to see socialized medicine ala England, Canada, etc. No one is proposing that either, though the far right would have us believe so. The four of us are in favor of a government health option to compete with the private sector. We don't understand why educated people would believe that this plan would ration care, deny benefits to elderly, hasten end of life.

We already have health care rationing - in the private sector. Aetna, Blues, United Health Care, Health Net, etc., we have to fight them on denials for cancer care every day and don't always win. The current government plans (Medicare, Medicaid) are actually the easiest to deal with and pay the best. We don't need prior authorizations, there are no appeals to arbitration boards to get a PET scan, MRI, expensive chemo. If you have a blue cross PPO however, it can take up to 3 months and 3 appeals to get a PET scan approved. The privates are rationing....to make money for the shareholders and fat cat CEOs at the expense of all of us.

If the government wanted to do all these terrible things that people are spreading to scare others, they could have done already for years - via Medicare. They never did - instead it continues to be the best coverage out there.

Even those with "good insurance" are mostly under insured if they have a cancer diagnosis. Deductibles and co-pays are thought to be minimal when people think about an rx for an antibiotic, but they never dream that if they have cancer and are on chemo that costs $10,000 to $20,000 per MONTH, that even their 20% co-pay is unaffordable. Then the patient goes without the chemo that is "covered" by their blue cross PPO. That scenario happens every week in our office - but never with Medicare.

The drug costs must come down to work - they are way too expensive. We had to take out a $500,000 loan recently to stay solvent after purchasing these drugs and getting denials by PPOs that look for reasons to cancel someone's coverage - one recent patient the PPO decided they thought that his cancer was a pre-existing condition after all. This was decided out of the blue 6 months into chemo that he was responding to. Now he is in appeals, but not getting any care for 2 months, and we are out $100,000 in the red on his treatment. The drug companies continue to make billions and have CEOs with unbelievable compensation. That is the current state of Private Sector oncology healthcare. By the way, that patient's cancer was NOT pre-existing, but the insurance doesn't care what I have to say - he has no coverage in sight.

So while we're dealing with the consequences of these tragedies for real people and their families, idiots from coast to coast are arguing about stupid death squads, socialism, and so disrespecting our President that his very citizenship and "American-ism" is called into question. We are dumbfounded by this. Whether one disagrees with Obama or not, he hasn't really given us any surprises. As far as I can tell, everything he has done he said he would do on the campaign trail - and the people elected him. So why the shock? Why blame him? The people are responsible. I wish Republicans would come up with viable counteroptions and alternatives instead of just trying to kill reform.

If we had a theoretical Medicare-like plan option for people of any age, oncology care would be so much more complete - un-rationed. With that increase in service, the only way to cut cost is to do exactly that - cut the horrendous drug costs, supply costs, etc. The drug company lobby is so massive to fight this because they want to make their billions. In the last 10 years, doctors have taken numerous percentage cuts for our services. The private HMOs are so bad for this, that for oncology those patients are only covered to discuss one or two problems/concerns per visit. Any further complex office visit must be done another day, or split into 3 visits over 3 days. They won't cover complex follow-up visits on any occasion - can you imagine finding that out after you're diagnosed with cancer?? Again, the private sector at work. The drug companies and the insurers must take big cuts now too if we are to make any reform possible here. This is the key and a government option might help if they are not willing to concede billions up front.

I'm personally afraid this is going to end in some watered down compromise that says it accomplishes reform, but doesn't really change things all that much.

You asked - so there you have it. Feel free to forward to whomever.

Derek Helton, M.D.

Yeah, I have an opinion, and I can sum it up real easy: I don't want health insurance, I want health care.

When I'm not feeling well, I want to be able to go to a doctor without worrying about how much it's going to cost. If the doctor recommends tests or a specialist, I want to be able to get them or go there without having to get permission, If I need to take prescription drugs, or get a follow-up therapy, I want to be able to get them at an affordable price and without having to do a stack of paperwork for every appointment.

Don't let the health insurance companies and the health care syncopates in congress bullshit you. Our health care industry is about making money for the health insurance companies. Health insurance companies make money by:

• Denying claims
• Raising rates
• Canceling coverage for sick people

Consumer choice doesn't have much play when it comes to health care. Insurance companies aren't in business for your health, they're in business for profit. That means paying for your health care is a loss from their point of view. This means insurers try to deny as many claims as possible, they try to avoid covering people who might actually need care, and they try to cancel people who have shown they need care.

I saw Rush Limbaugh, the fat pig, on TV last night, talking about anyone who needed health care could get it, all they had to do was go to the emergency room. If you're in a car accident, or shot, or have an acute problem, that's true. But once your not going to die, you're on your own. Try getting follow-up therapy or treatment. Try getting chemotherapy or radiation for cancer. Try getting an organ replaced. You're not going to get it unless you have insurance or pay yourself. And even if you do have insurance, they will cancel you the first chance they get, or blackmail your company into firing you so you're no longer covered.

Universal health care is implemented in all but one of the wealthy, industrialized countries. Can you guess what that country is? I bet you can. Estimates put support for universal health care at 70 - 75%. Why aren't our elected officials listening? Money in their pockets, that's why.

All together: Health care isn't about health, and it isn't about care, it's about making money.

I heard some Republican ass-clown say, "Health care should be between people and the government, it should be between people and their doctor." If that's the case, ass-clown, then why is health care currently between people and-if they're lucky enough to even have it-their health care company? How can you spout such complete and utter nonsense?

Congress needs to stop protecting insurance companies and start protecting people. In the U.S. health care has become a privilege, another tool used to keep you compliant to you capitalist master. I say it again: the United States remains the only industrialized country in the world that doesn’t guarantee health care to all its citizens.

Did you know members of the U.S. Representatives and Senators alike receive some of the best health care benefits in the country, much of it paid for with taxpayer dollars? Yet these same members are unwilling to extend similar protections to the rest of America. As soon as members of Congress are sworn in, they may participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). The program offers an assortment of health plans from which to choose, including fee-for-service, point-of-service, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). In addition, Congress members can also insure their spouses and their dependents.

Not only does Congress get to choose from a wide range of plans, but there’s no waiting period. Unlike many Americans who must struggle against precondition clauses or are even denied coverage because of those preconditions, Senators and Representatives are covered no matter what - effective immediately.

And here’s the best part. The government pays up to 75 percent of the premium. That government, of course, is funded by taxpayers, the same taxpayers who often cannot afford health care themselves. Despite the services that members of Congress receive at the taxpayer’s expense, they’ve done little on behalf of those who cannot afford or cannot get health care. Their attention is instead focused on the financial well being of pharmaceutical and insurance companies.

Case in point: according to the Medicare Reform Act of 2004, Medicare is prohibited from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices. That means the pharma companies get to charge whatver they want. Not only is this negotiating power available to governments in other industrialized countries, it’s also similar to the power granted to the FEHBP, which itself is permitted to negotiate premiums and prices. Yet another case of they get what they won't give you.

So while our elected official luxuriate in any-where, any-time, afforable health care, all the while snatching the dollars flung at them by big pharma and insurance companies, millions of Americans are receiving inadequate health care, and millions more could lose their health insurance at any time since it's tied to their employment. And those with insurance have seen their rates go up and up and their deductibles rise. Even with insurance, many end up medically bankrupt.

Yet throughout all this, one thing has remained steady--the health care coverage afforded members of Congress. If they’ve proven nothing else, they’ve shown taxpayers that they know how to take care of themselves, and their wallets.

There are no examples of successful health care based on the principles of the free market for one simple reason: in health care, the free market just doesn’t work. And people who say that the market is the answer are deluded or outright liars.

Or maybe they're our Congressmen, who don't have to worry about their health care at all.

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I'm probably behind the curve in offering my editorial, but nevertheless....

Last last Saturday I wandered down to the local version of sports bar to watch UFC 100. I was mainly interested in the Lesnar/Mir fight, but unfortunately I didn't last long enough to see it. The bar was standing room only, and after being on my feet for almost two hours, I gave up and wandered home. My back feels a lot better than it used to, but I'd reached my max. I didn't get to see the Lesnar/Mir fight live.

I did, however, find it the next morning on the Internet. Lesnar rode Mir like a kiddie ride outside a Walmart and scored an easy victory. He then proceeded to insult Mir, the event sponsor, and flip-off the crowd. Wow.

I'm not naive. The UFC is about making money, and the way you make money is to entertain people. Yet ask a fighter why he's there, and very few will say they go in the ring to entertain fans. There are lot of easier and less painful ways to go about entertaining people than fighting inside a cage. Those that say they do are fooling themselves. They might hope the fans are entertained, but the reason most of them go in the ring is to stand in front of the cave and test themselves in combat.

And when the dust settles and one man stands with his hand raised, axes are buried, man-hugs exchanged, and respect granted. Most of the time.

Maybe I've swallowed the Kung-Fu stereotype, but martial arts is supposed to have a mental and spiritual aspects. It's supposed to be about exploring yourself, developing discipline and growing all aspects of your being--mind, body and spirit. The renowned Japanese swordsman Myamoto Musashi found that the more sought excellence in his martial training, the more he sought excellence all things.

People get into martial arts for different reasons. They usually start out of a desire to learn some self defense skills or for fitness. Once basic skills are learned, some students quit while others continue to study for many different reasons; they enjoyed the exercise, they like advancing in rank. Maybe they get into sparring and enjoy the competitive aspect of the sport. There are even some thugs who take advantage of their skills to have power over others. They like to fight and they like to hurt people, usually by taking their martial skills down to the local bar.

Lesnar acted like a thug. His behavior was bad for mixed martial arts and set a poor example for the younger fans who might one day want to step into the ring themselves. There are a few other thugs in the sport as well, although I've never seen one carry it to as far an extreme as Lesnar did. Fighters like GSP and Diego Sanchez are examples of how MMA is much more about yourself than who you step into the ring with. These are the fighters we should be talking about, not Lesanr and Henderson, who struck a downed opponent he knew wouldn't be getting back up again. He can cliam 'the ref didn't stop me' all he wants, but that second shot came out of a desire to punish, not to win.

Nevertheless, the actions of Lesnar and Henderson will be good for the UFC's bottom line. Fans love to watch athletes they hate as much as those they love. Many of them value the violence over the sport and enjoyed seeing Bisping get that extra whack. Tickets will sell, pay-per-views will be purchased, shirts will be worn.

I was glad to hear White came down hard on Lesnar. I was glad Lesnar apologized. I'm sure he was caught up in the moment. Maybe he was having a WWE flashback. Maybe he, like Chris Leban, can move beyind the combat aspect of the sport and use as a means to self exploration and personal growth.

I just hope as MMA continues to grow, the mental and spiritual aspects of martial arts won't get left behind.