But I don’t want to live in a progressive state….
2006-12-12From the Chicago Tribune:
A state task force on Thursday endorsed an ambitious plan to provide medical coverage to 1.5 million uninsured residents–at a cost to government and employers of more than $5 billion a year.
The groundbreaking proposal calls for a series of complicated, expensive reforms that would expand public medical programs, overhaul private insurance and guarantee the availability of medical coverage to all Illinois residents.
In turn, every state resident would be required to step up to the plate and obtain health insurance from their employers, from public programs or by buying it on their own. If not, they would pay a penalty.
Another requirement would force all employers to supply medical coverage to workers or pay an assessment–yet to be determined–to a state fund that would help pay for the new insurance initiative.
Emphasis is mine.
So.
I’m a member of a Christian organization called Samaritan Ministries that coordinates the sharing of medical bills by its members. Each month, my family sends a check directly to another member with a medical need that has been reviewed by the main office. In this way, we are able to help each pay for exorbitant medical costs without using insurance. My family has had several needs published in this way, which we were able to pay in full to the various medical providers. Together, we are pulling our own weight. However, Samaritan Ministries is not insurance. As a result, my family would be considered to be “uninsured”.
My family is not a drain on the system, nor are the other 11,000 families that are part of Samaritan Ministries. We are getting medical care. The providers are getting paid. Everyone is happy. So, would I really be forced to get insurance or pay a penalty? Does that really make any sense? Why break a system that is working?
I appreciate the growing financial problems in the world of health care, but the solution is not more intervention by the government. My family is not burdening anyone. Indeed, we are helping to carry others. Can we just be left in peace?
Disclosure: I do work for Samaritan Ministries as well. Indeed, I believe so strongly in this concept that I moved my family to Illinois from Pennsylvania to work for this group.
Funny you should mention this today as we are currently dealing with health insurance frustrations, too. {sigh}
We recently had the opportunity to get extremely low-cost insurance(government style), but opted to stick with Samaritan Ministries instead since it is such a good thing for Christians to be doing.
Yeah. Something that I didn’t actually state in this post is that, if this all progresses, it could cost me my job.
So, be in prayer.
Question….
What’s the name of the task force?
The Illinois Adequate Health Care Task Force, began by the Health Care Justice Act of 2004.
[...] I wrote up this post yesterday about the legislative challenges to Samaritan Ministries. What I didn’t write up [...]