31 Day Blogging Challenge Days 12 and 13 - What I am thinking today

Thoughtful

I like to have some sort of photo on my post even if the post is not specifically about art.

Yesterday was a pretty good day that ended rather emotionally.  So much so that I went to sleep instead of posting; hence the twofer for today.

I posted on Facebook a picture of Joe Biden and President Obama and wrote a short caption regarding Joe Biden's 47 year of service and how I met him in the Washington DC train station as he was going home to Delaware.  He was so gracious and greeted everyone in the Metro Lounge as we waited for our various trains.  I was not looking for responses, just sharing a great photo and my thoughts.  One response was "what a joke".  I took great offense to this statement.  First it was not necessary, if the person did not like the fact that Joe Biden was given the Medal of honor, that is fine just move on from my post.  Joe Biden's life is not a joke, a man who lost a wife and daughters in a car accident and went on to serve the country.  A man who has been willing to show his humanity and his flaws; a man who did not use the jobs he has held for personal gain and who lost another son to cancer has my respect.

There is not a human being on this earth that is perfect and we are entitled to our opinions; however, I have been on Facebook since around 2008 and the one thing I have never done is look at a person's post, even if I disagree with it, and make a rude or condescending remark.  If I do not agree, I just move on and let them have their say.

For the past 8 years I have been very careful not to post political or religious posts.  First because that is my business and once you post it on social media, it is no longer your business.  Second, because I have seen all of the attacks and negative comments that are really hurtful and third, as an African American I have been so proud of the way President Obama has performed despite all that was put before him.  Has he been perfect?  No, but I am so proud of what he has accomplished.

The Affordable Care Act, despite what Congress says, has been a great benefit to many.  Not just the millions of people who have never had insurance; but also, to the millions who could not get coverage because of pre-existing conditions.  The millions who were impacted by yearly and lifetime maximums on their coverage.  Did you know that a person who has an organ transplant can use their lifetime maximum before they are even discharged from the hospital?  Six years ago that limitation was eliminated so they can have follow up treatments without worry.  I worked in the health insurance industry for nearly 40 years and know from whence I speak.  For example; Michigan Bell Phone Company added a rider to their coverage to allow parents to keep children on their coverage until age 26 even if they were not in college.  Groups could add a waiver of the pre-existing rules to their coverage and most did.  Affordable care act brought many of these group benefits to individuals.  After retiring and trying to get coverage prior to Medicare, I was told I could not have any services related to breast cancer for 10 years (pre-existing); so I had to take expensive COBRA coverage until it ran out then no health care coverage until Medicare kicked in.

Can the ACA be improved upon?  Yes, but there are always improvements and tweaks to health care benefits.  Ways to make it more cost effective and ways to enhance benefit structures.  I love the intricacies of the Health insurance industry; ways to make it better for the average American.

Well, that is what I am thinking today.  I am sad that people who have the best health care insurance coverage in the world are so eager to repeal instead of fix a program that does have merits.

see you tomorrow