HealthCare System?

In the 2008 elections, HealthCare is a definite "buzz word". Everyone wants to know what these leaders plan on doing to ensure GOOD, QUALITY, AFFORDABLE (which some read: free) Healthcare. Now, it's not that I disagree with them completely. I support a prescription plan to help make medicines that people need more affordable (especially seniors). I advocate for Tort Reform, which will bring the mass medical malpractice suits under control as this is one of the reasons that prices are pushed upwards. Doctors can't even afford their own malpractice insurance. I do, however, believe in capitalism and getting what you pay for which promotes quality work. I also think that "The Church" has fallen down on the job of assisting those who can't afford to get the help needed. With good tort reform, the Christian doctors across the nation could step up and fulfill the scriptures command to use our abilities for benefit of the Body. But, that is a whole other blog!

Now, enough of my concessions and couching so you hear my heart. . .Here's my point: We need perspective. Let's be honest, we DO have healthcare available! Hospitals can NOT turn someone down for needed medical care. Yes, they'll charge you, but I had a friend in college who had his appendix out and chose to just pay $10 a month to the hospital for basically the rest of his life. Does this stink? Yes, but the surgery saved his life. Is the medicare or medicaid system easy to navigate? No, but it does provide medical care. Are HMOs a pain in the butt to get referrals to other doctors? Yep, but guess what? There ARE other doctors here.

The US has 279 doctors per 1,000 people. So, in a city with a population of 3.5 million people, we would average 976,500 doctors! Liberia, West Africa has 3.5 million people and guess how many doctors they have? 14! Yes, you read that right. Do I need to say it again? 14 doctors for 3,500,000 people. Oh, and these people are dying and hungry and in desperate need of medical care. Does that very statistic bring tears to your eyes? I will remember that the next time I begin to complain about waiting for an hour to be seen by my primary care doctor.

This is why I am praying fervently for God to provided the needed funds or resources to build a new medical clinic and a special needs nursery in Liberia. Acres of Hope, the adoption agency we are using, already has the land, they just need the money. Please join me in praying for these resources to flow in. The approx. cost of the medical center and staffing + a special needs nursery would be under $500,000. Pray for the money to flow in, pray for doctors to rise up to volunteer to serve these people, pray for the needed medical supplies to come in!! Just PRAY!

**ps. . .if you would like to contribute, you can send a check to Acres of Hope. check their website for more info or email me privately!**
**disclaimer: reports on numbers of doctors are hard to nail down. The statistics I've found range from 10-122. . .either way, the doctor / patient ratio is staggering.