Dear Journal,
Today, I received a letter from my insurance company. As I opened it, I felt a familiar mix of dread and hope. "We have approved your medication," it read. I was relieved, of course, but also incredulous. Approved? Since when does a corporation get to dictate what medications my doctor and I decide are best for my health?
It's a question that's been gnawing at me, a thorn in my side that I can no longer ignore. The power that insurance companies wield over our healthcare system is nothing short of alarming. They've inserted themselves into the sacred relationship between doctor and patient, turning medical decisions into a game of profits and losses.
Insurance companies are not staffed by doctors. They don't understand the complexities of medicine, the nuances of individual patient needs. Yet, they get to make decisions that profoundly affect our health and well-being. They get to approve or deny medications, delay procedures, and even dictate the course of treatment. It's a system that's not only flawed but also deeply harmful.
Let's talk about premiums for a moment. I, like many others, pay a significant amount of money each month for health insurance. Yet, how often do we actually use it? Once, twice a year? So where does all that money go? Into the pockets of insurance executives, that's where. We're paying for their salaries, their bonuses, their lavish lifestyles, while we struggle to make ends meet.
And then, to add insult to injury, they send letters saying they've "approved" our medications. As if we should be grateful for their benevolence. But the truth is, it shouldn't be their decision to make. My doctor prescribed that medication because he believes it's the best course of treatment for me. That should be the end of the story.
But it's not. Because insurance companies have their tentacles in every aspect of our healthcare. They demand access to our medical records, they question our doctors' judgments, and they make decisions that can quite literally mean the difference between life and death.
This is a profound problem, one that affects every single one of us. Insurance companies are not in the business of healthcare; they're in the business of making money. And they'll do whatever it takes to maximize their profits, even if it means denying patients the care they need.
We need to take a stand. We need to demand better. We need to insist on a system where doctors and patients make medical decisions, not corporate bean counters. A system where our premiums go towards our care, not towards lining the pockets of insurance executives.
I served my country. I fought for our freedoms. And I believe that healthcare is a fundamental right. I believe that every American deserves access to quality, affordable care. And I believe that insurance companies, as they currently operate, are a barrier to that right.
So, I'm calling on everyone who reads this to join me in demanding change. Write to your representatives, share your stories, make your voices heard. We can't afford to sit back and accept the status quo. Our health, our lives, depend on it.
In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, "Knowing what's right doesn't mean much unless you do what's right." So let's do what's right. Let's fight for a healthcare system that puts patients first, that respects the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship, that values health over profits.
Let's make a difference. Because we can. Because we must.
Semper Fi,
A disgruntled disabled Marine Vet
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