All I wanted

All I wanted out of Health Care Reform was for equal health care treatment for every individual with disregard to age, previous conditions, income, race, and whether they were insured or not.

I think this is what most people were hoping for, but no one could agree on the process and funding how to get to this point.

Luckily, some changes were made.

I'll no longer be threatening with meeting the 2 million dollar treatment maximum and having to pay out of pocket for care. I don't have to fear "recissions," where insurance cuts a patient when they get sick, and no more refusing coverage due to "pre-existing" conditions, that's discrimination.

But now, even as I jump for joy that I could possibly live with cancer as a chronic disease, I realize that new, innovative, life saving medications are out of reach for many.

Gleevac is America's new "miracle drug" has allowed people with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and certain leukemias to lead a relatively normal life.
One gleevac patient I know, a young woman in love and of child bearing age, is considering having a child (with her doctor's collaboration of course).

Fabulous, except the cost of this medication is $5000 monthly.
Remicade, a chemotherapy agent Jon took several years ago for his crohn's disease, cost $8,500 monthly.

Neither of these new, breakthrough medications are affordable to middle class america.

Unfortunately, our health care system will never be truly reformed until I am no longer required to sign a "promise to pay" notice upon entering the ER with chest pain and shortness of breath.

It won't be reformed until every patient can receive the best medical intervention available at the lowest cost possible. There is still work to be done, and thankfully it is.