Hobnobbing For Health Care

I am officially THE COOLEST!

I received an invitation for a congressional send-off BBQ with healthcare as the primary topic of conversation.

I’ve heard of these dinners where there is a “topic” and everyone needs to come informed from the Manhattan dinner party social scene.

This sounds far more fun and productive.

Now this is a way to bring a smile to my face, and luckily, it coincides with my healthy days.

I’ll be picking up and heading to the coast this evening for my first event of this nature accompanied by my father, of course, who will quickly brush up on health care reform and how it is affecting small business owners and hang out with. . . . Democrats, just for me.

I’m going to do a little research too. Hopefully it will prepare me for a situation I have never been in and know nothing about.

Those are always the most fun aren’t they?

Let me practice a little of my conversation on you. . .

What I am seeing as a trend, in contrast to Sen. Gregg’s concern that a public option is a one-way street towards government run healthcare, is the path we are on NOW is a one-way street to masses of uninsured.

The trend among my peers who have become unemployed due to the recession is that they are now finding work, but nothing above 40 hours.

All positions require are 37.5, which keeps them just below the amount required to provide insurance.

Business owners simply can not afford to stay in business and provide healthcare.

A small business owner with a family of three in NH paid $22,000 in premiums last year alone.

That’s before his $6000 deductible.

Just recently, he received a notice stating that his premium was going up, just a small $150 a month.

What is being paid in health insurance premiums, before anyone ever gets sick, outpaces what a teacher makes in their first year.

Is it any surprise businesses are no longer offering these benefits?

I am really more fearful of the road we are on than the road we may possibly go down.

How is that for starters?

The passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy has certainly opened a wound and increased the urgency for reform. He was certainly a pioneer in this arena.

NH undertook its own personal loss recently when Sen. Bob Odell’s wife, Anna, passed peacefully of ovarian cancer.

The Odell’s have been a fixture in our community throughout my lifetime, and her presence will surely be missed.

Everyone of cancer’s martyrs will hopefully have their legacy lamented in the upcoming reform.

Disease absolutely crosses party lines and I’m happy to live in a time where we all agree health care can be improved for the best interest of patients.

I know, as a patient, that no one would want progress halted for mourning.

Now, I’ll have to figure out what to wear.

More importantly, with the time being from 5:30-7:30, how am I going to stay awake, forget about congenial, charming, and intelligent, past 6:30?