I am Unwell

I am a little under the weather. It's nothing major. I'm treating with some OTC/homeopathic remedies and hoping for the best. For now, I'm feeling sluggish and wishing someone would sing me soft kitty. But I know I will get better.

I am also comfortable in the knowledge that, if I don't start to improve, I can go to the closest doc in a box. I can be seen by a medical professional in a reasonable amount of time and walk out the door with prescriptions in hand. I can then go to any number of pharmacies around town and have those prescriptions filled with little out of pocket expense.

You see, I have this luxury called health insurance. A small slice of my salary each month goes towards the monthly premiums. I complain about the expense. It has steadily increased year after year. So far, it has not increased to the point that I have ever considered dropping the coverage. It's a nice security blanket to have for myself and for my son. But it is a luxury. It is not something that everyone has access to, either because they lack the full time employment to qualify or they do not make enough to pay the premiums even if they have a full time job.

I should not be writing this and referring to basic health care as a luxury item. Once upon a time, luxury items were fancy cars, large homes, diamonds. When did our personal well being and fresh vegetables join this list?

I will not pretend to be knowledgeable on the Affordable Care Act which promises to expand health care to so many Americans who are uninsured or underinsured. I know that I, personally, have already seen the benefits. I have one monthly prescription that I paid $75 a month out of pocket for years. I considered myself lucky when switched to a plan that covered this Rx with a copay of only $20. In January, I started to receive this drug at no out of pocket expense.

It frustrates me when friends and family have to use the ER as their doctor's office when they are sick. It also frustrates me to hear of people unable to have necessary prescriptions filled because they need to eat that week. Or put gas in their car to get to a job that doesn't provide all of their basic needs.

In worship last night, we were asked to put ourselves in the shoes of the characters in the story. Someone mentioned the Pharisees in this particular passage and a feeling of empathy for them. The reasoning given was that they had been told their whole lives if you work hard and play by the rules, these are the things that will happen for you. You will be rewarded with a happy and comfortable life, your basic needs will be met if you only follow along and do what you are told. Yet, others in the passage didn't follow the rules and were still blessed. I feel like the Pharisees today. So many people work hard, play by the rules and they never seem to achieve that American Dream we have all been promised. Instead, their employers cut their hours to avoid having to provide health care. Or they choose not to pay a living wage so that they can post record profits.

Something is wrong when the financial health of a company is more valuable than the physical health of the people keeping the company afloat.