LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HEALTH CARE

New figures are in..28% of Kentuckians have no health insurance..up from 23% in 2008.

The report from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky also shows 27% receive Medicare, Medicaid, or some other type of public insurance..more than double the 11% on such programs in 2008.

The new Federal Affordable Health Care Act,(Obamacare for you so inclined), expands Medicaid and would add 400,000 Kentuckians to Medicaid; those who have NO insurance currently.

Gov. Beshear has not decided what he wants to do, and he has the option of putting these needy Kentuckians in the new U-S program. (Why is he waiting?; their health needs continue!) And Republicans in the legislature have offered bills to require legislative approval first--a way, IMHO, of killing the program.

Beshear waits, he says, to find out if the state can afford the Affordable Health Care..even though the federal government pays 100% of the program for the first three years, and 90% thereafter.       

While the governor and legislature dither, real people are really sick..and may well infect others in their families, schools, or workplace (adding to the costs which might have been avoided if they got proper medical attention).

This in a nation, mind you, founded on pursuing happiness, as well as life and liberty.

There is no happiness for parents too sick to take care of their kids, and maybe passing their illnesses on to their children.

There is no liberty for people unable to work, and enjoy the blessings a paycheck brings, when they are too ill to be employed.

There may well be no Life either..when health care is denied.

Why is it we recognize the RIGHT of all people to have an adequate legal defense if they are charged with a crime, but no right to have adequate health care if they are ill? I guess the lawyers have a better lobby than the doctors.

That should end. We should be urging the governor and the legislature, on behalf of our  400,000 fellow Kentuckians today (who will be 500,000 in 2 years, and perhaps a million in eight if we don't act now) to join Obamacare before the real and growing costs of their being uninsured really eats up the state budget.

I'm just sayin'...