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A taste of government run health care
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Dear Editor,

My wife and I recently experienced a taste of what health care under a government run plan could be like in the United States. Our experience came about when my wife attempted to get the seasonal flu shot for our children. Like many years before, my wife contacted our pediatrician’s office to inquire about the availability of the seasonal flu shots. Upon contacting the pediatrician’s office my wife was first asked what type of insurance we had. My wife told the office worker the name of our private insurance provider.  The office worker then told my wife that there were no flu shots available and to keep checking back with them.  

After thinking over the conversation, my wife contacted the same pediatrician’s office a few days later to inquire again about the availability of flu shots. Again she was asked about what insurance we had.  My wife proceeded to ask the office worker why she needed to know what type of insurance we had and what difference did that make. The office worker was reluctant to answer, but after further discussion admitted that they did in fact have seasonal flu shots available, however they were only available to those on Medicaid.

Can you imagine, having the ability to pay for treatment and being denied treatment because you are not a participant in a government plan? This is just a taste of what government run health care could be like in the United States if the public option in the health care reform debate is achieved.

Those who work hard and sacrifice to pay for and provide health insurance for their families will be denied access, while those who are dependent upon the government are given free access. I, like many other people, am not opposed to helping those who need help, but at what point does government control of our health go too far? After all, where does the government think the money to pay for such programs as Medicaid comes from? It is the taxpayer who provides the money for government to operate, and we should expect our elected officials to be prudent with tax dollars.

Proponents of the government run health care point to the U.S. Constitution and say that it is the government’s responsibility to provide for the general welfare. However, The U.S. Constitution actually provides that “We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, …..promote the general Welfare, ….” This provides for We The People to promote the general welfare, but not provide for the general welfare.  There is a big difference between promoting and providing. It is time that we as the electorate wake up and hold accountable those we elect.  

Michael S. King
Guyton