Make Prevention Our Intention

Opinion
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Hilbert Morales
EL OBSERVADOR

Currently the U.S. Senate will be voting pro or con on TrumpCare legislation which is being crafted by a Senate Committee behind closed doors. There are no public hearings scheduled; no prior review by anyone, especially Democrats who sit across that aisle. In addition no women Senators are involved nor included in the crafting of this version of TrumpCare. This federal legislation is being crafted in a manner that does not allow any American constituent to make any constructive input nor commentary. This secretive legislative process violates all prior standards of legislative formulation established during the prior 241 years (since this nation declared its independence). This approach violates many standards and practices leading to honest and factual transparency in governance.

I do want all to understand the 2010 Affordable Care Act (also known as ObamaCare) is all about health care insurance policy. Its legislative process ensured the health care insurance industry had a competitive role via the insurance bazaars to be created in each state. In California, the Cover California’ insurance exchange was created successfully. Understand that the health care insurance industry is based upon the statistical sharing of health care services expenditures which happen to some but not everyone during one’s life journey.

The two ObamaCare features to be retained are: 1) No one should be denied health care insurance coverage because of a prior medical condition. And 2) A child may remain fully covered until age 26′ by his/her parent’s health care insurance policy.

A major concern is the lack of women’s input…after all, it is women who conceive, carry the fetus in her womb, and delivers a child. Any medical issue which involves the developing fetus needs to remain a decision the potential mother makes with the advice (input) of her medical advisors, her pastor, and her husband (or significant other). This nation’s interest resides in having enough women of child-bearing age to be supportive public policy which guarantee that the next generation is begat, nurtured, and receives all essentials (food, shelter, clothing; perinatal care, education, instruction during developmental years, especially 0-5 years of age.

When any elected officials in any governance body attempt to decree the who, when, where, and how of child-bearing issues, these elected male individuals are dealing with human biology and cultural issues about which they will have no experience. I would hope that TrumpCare does not deny any funding to any clinic such as Planned Parenthood, which deals with all medical issues including abortion. Obstetrics and gynecology medical knowledge is invariably used to assist in the delivery of a healthy child…the next generation. Family planning is now possible because of birth control medications (all based upon 17-keto-hydroxy steroid chemistry refined by Carl Djerassi, M.D., Ph.D. who did this biological research in Mexico City during the 1950’s which resulted in the ‘pill’ first produced by Syntex, S.A. which relocated to Stanford Industrial Park.

Legislators need to stay out of the privacy of the bedroom; their appropriate role is to deal with the many other issues which enable a mother to appropriately nurture, raise, and train her child, hopefully with the involvement of the child’s father. Each culture has its values and practices…Congress needs to just Honor the fathers and mothers without which the next generation is never begat.

My major concern is the propensity of the health care insurance industry’s executives attempts to profit from the very large variety of health care services being delivered by the medical care industry

including the prescription drug industry, durable medical equipment industry, and health & hospital systems such as the ‘Health & Hospital Systems, County of Santa Clara’, CA.

Health care legislation deals with several inter-related health care enterprises which produce 20% of this nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). Government properly has some responsibility for the delivery of health care services (which include mental health and behavioral health care services) and native medical practices related to different cultures (witch doctors; curanderas, etc.).

Over the years, Americans have properly supported the National Institutes of Health; National Science Foundation, Communicable Disease Center, and U.S. Public Health Services. Much research has resulted in the conquest of disease…through vaccines, prosthetic development, and many basic research programs. Much of that knowledge has been exploitively monetized by firms which cherry picked portions of new knowledge produced by basic research funded with research grants using federal tax funds.

I want to share one observation here: Despite all of medical knowledge and the use of that knowledge which has been growing through medical research being funded by this nation, I observe that the death rate of humans remains at 100%. Each of us has a life span provided by Divine Providence. Medical, biological, and public health knowledge…through their application, has resulted in the extension of life spans. In 1900 the life span of men was 49 years. Today, men and women live beyond the 70’s. Women always will live longer than men, because the female of the species is essential to the reproductive survival of each and any species. Extension of life span is not enough. The proper application of medical knowledge and its applied technology is to minimize pain and suffering…that is all.

Therefore, I hope those elected U.S. Congressional members deal with the appropriate allocation of resources to continue the efforts essential for this nation to continue to have a very healthy and capable population including its training and education. It is the health of this nation’s work force which enables America to be a great nation. Any attempt to earn returns on investments made off health care services via profits ‘skimmed off’ by the health care insurance industry will only add profits to the cost thereof. It may be immoral, unethical and inappropriate to try to make the health care services industry profitable via its competitive health insurances industry.

Early prevention and intervention invariably lowers the expenses incurred. Preventive care knowledge permits early intervention. Therefore, let’s craft legislation which favors single pay sources administered by local government agencies in each community. Making profits from therapies which reduce human pain and suffering is totally inappropriate. In acute health care services, NO COMPETITIVE PRICING MARKET SYSTEM EXISTS. So let’s ensure that Prevention of Trumpcare is our intention’.

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