Joey's Take: Health Care in America

Please pardon my absence from the blog. I have been battling hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE). Not to worry though – it looks like I’m winning that battle. My stay at the Alpha Animal Hospital wasn’t all downtime from the campaign as it gave me some new insight into health care in America.

Like most dogs and many other Americans, I’m not covered by health insurance, and Dad does not have steady work yet (the down side of political appointments), which means cost was a concern. Now, I don’t think you should be taxed so I can be covered, but I noticed some cost-saving steps that could be incorporated into people medicine:

· After listening to the folks describe my symptoms and the onset of my illness, Dr. Segl gave them a detailed price estimate of the lab work, radiograms, IVs and care she thought I would need – before she did anything. The folks mentioned that my hips have been stiff lately, so she said she would make sure she got the hips in the picture when she shot the radiograms. An upfront estimate, two diagnoses for the price of one and no unnecessary referrals to specialists.

· Dr. Segl did everything in-house – no lab techs, radiologists, etc. That meant we got the results of my blood work within minutes, and treatment could begin immediately. And when the first radiogram suggested torsion, the vet talked to Dad and then did a few more radiograms to make sure that was not the problem. My health care wasn’t at the mercy of a lab tech’s or radiologist’s busy workload, and the folks approved any costs above the original estimate. Meanwhile, I was already starting to feel better. In-house, immediate, no third parties.

· To help keep costs down, Dr. Segl suggested the folks take me home for the night and then bring me back for observation the next day. That way, they wouldn’t have to pay for overnight care, and they rested better knowing I wasn’t alone in a strange place. Family care.

· Since vets aren’t sure what causes HGE – the best guess is that it’s viral – we discussed some lifestyle changes to try to prevent future episodes. That means no more eating snow or tracking deer. And for my arthritic hips, I have to get more exercise and take glucosamine. This is my responsibility – not the government’s. Lifestyle changes.

· Central to my health care was having a doctor who knew what she was doing and who would discuss options so we – not an HMO, insurance company or a government agency – could make an informed decision. Obviously, we needed to be able to trust our vet. Rhetoric may sound nice, but when it comes to my health care (or my government), I want people who know what they’re talking about. Record, not rhetoric.

I’m Joey, and I’m glad to be alive. And, yes, I’m still running for Congress.

Joey's Take: A Snuggie Government

Have you seen the new Snuggie for dogs? Arf! That is one fashion statement I will not be making on the campaign trail -- even if it were available in red.

It's bad enough that our Snuggie government is trying to sell us its imported, one-size-fits-all, 100 percent totally adulterated synthetic approach to education, health care and environmental policy.

The price? Don't worry about it. The government has an easy-to-pay installment plan that you can pass on to your children and your children's children. And if you act now, you'll also get a deflated dollar and higher taxes. Of course, they won't be called taxes. That would be breaking a promise.

The fine print? Congress isn't reading it, so why should you?

So, no worries. Just sit back and let your Snuggie government trap you -- er, wrap you -- in its voluminous fleece.

I'm Joey. I'm running for Congress. And I approved this sarcasm.