Today I listened to the March 2 60 Minutes podcast and was shocked by one of the stories. I’ve known for a long while that America’s health care system is broken, but it really hit home today just how broken it is when I heard that an organization initially founded to provide free health care to people in far flung areas of the world is doing the same within the borders of the United States.
Remote Area Medical was founded in 1985 by Stan Brock, a man who has lived a rather adventurous life.
The vision for Remote Area Medical® developed in the Amazon rain forest where founder Stan Brock spent 15 years with the Wapishana Indians. He lived with the pain and suffering created by isolation from medical care. He witnessed the near devastation of whole tribes by what would have been simple or minor illnesses to more advanced cultures. When he left South America to co-star in the television series, “Wild Kingdom, ” he vowed to find a way to deliver basic medical aid to people in the world’s inaccessible regions.
The organization was founded in 1985 and years of research and planning yielded a vast, carefully developed network of men and women who have come together to make RAM a highly mobile, remarkably efficient relief force. Volunteers are doctors, nurses, technicians, and veterinarians who go on expeditions at their own expense and treat hundreds of patients a day under some of the worst conditions.
One of the RAM programs, the Rural AMerica Program, goes on expeditions inside the USA. The 60 minutes story covered them while they were on an expedition in Rural Tennessee. The majority of people who use the service are either uninsured or under insured. It’s a great service they are providing, but a shameful symbol of the state of American health care.
The next time you hear a Republican or other conservative idiot cry that they don’t want their tax dollars spent on “socialized” health care, give the nutjob a wake up call by pointing out RAM. There can be no clearer sign of the reality that 47 million Americans are uninsured and are living at great personal risk because of it. Though, I’m sure you’ll be unable to pierce the Bubble of Delusion most diehard Republicans live in. This is one of several major reasons why another Republican administration cannot be allowed in the White House. We need a few years of governance by sensible people in order to straighten out the mess we have now before the idiots can be allowed to play again.
It’s been years since I donated to a charity, but today I pulled out my credit card and gave to RAM. I encourage you to do the same. And when November comes around, make sure you vote for the Democratic candidate so that we can get someone who will put us on course for national health insurance and reduce the need for RAM to work in our borders.
Technorati Tags: health care, Remote Area Medical, politics
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