As many of you know, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the health care reform bill. It has now moved on to the Senate. This was met with mixed reviews from all parties, but I, for one, am pretty stoked. There are things I’d like to change, for sure, and hopefully they will be changed in the Senate.

But what it boils down to is this: I have been uninsured since February and it has been the scariest eight months of my life. Due to a long story, I was ineligible for Cobra. My husband is a freelancer and he does not have health insurance (though he doesn’t seem as scared about it) so I couldn’t use his plan. I tried to get insurance on my own through Blue Cross Blue Shield, United and Aetna, but I was turned down from all of them due to pre-existing conditions. I don’t qualify for Medicaid because my husband makes too much money. I’ve been hunting for a full-time job in part because I want to work full-time again and in part because I want benefits. For a while, we were seriously considering moving to Canada or Europe mostly for the health care.

I have two conditions that require medication. I have been off of my medication since I ran out in March and April. I can’t afford the medications without insurance. I’m not saying all of this to complain or to whine, I’m saying it to illustrate my need for health insurance. I’m not alone in this, there are millions of people in my situation. If I went to the doctor right now, I would go bankrupt. Many people already have.

The bill isn’t perfect, it has some issues with women’s health and reproductive rights, like the Stupak-Pitts Amendment stating that:

No funds authorized or appropriated by this Act (or an amendment made by this Act) may be used to pay for an abortion or to cover any costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion, except in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless and abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, or unless the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest.

Yuck. That amendment passed 240-194. Perhaps the Senate can iron that out. I like that they abolished pre-existing condition discrimination or the practice of dropping people when they become ill (so health insurance companies might have to actually provide health insurance).

It will be interesting to see what happens in the Senate. I, along with millions of other uninsured Americans, will be watching with crossed fingers and bated breathe. This post isn’t too in depth on the bill an the debate, but honestly, there’s tons of coverage out there, just pick up a newspaper or type “Health care reform” into Google.

The final words, however, must go to one of my favorite bloggers on the internet. The wise-cracking, octogenarian Helen Philpot, from the Margaret and Helen blog (a blog set up by Helen’s grandson so that she and her best friend could keep in touch):

Margaret, I know it has been a few years since we last made the trip across the pond, but I was wondering if  anyone is still alive in Europe?   I watched a little bit of Fox News this weekend and I’m afraid everyone in Europe might have died from lack of access to healthcare.  What a shame.  They had such delicious food and beautiful art.

: ) Well said.

Until next week, stay healthy everyone.