National social issues are generally the furthest things from the common college student’s mind, especially when they have a paper due or a mid-term to worry about.
Fortunately, the California State University system offers basic health services to students. But beyond that, we probably don’t give our long-term health much thought.
Students, however, need to consider what is happening at the moment nationally. We have the greatest social investment in our future.
The Senate Finance Committee recently released its version of the new health care bill, with only one favorable Republican vote from Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine. She has hinted she is likely to switch sides during a vote in the Senate in opposition to a public option.
Max Baucus, chairmen of the Finance Committee, also has vowed to remove the public option entirely as the bill progresses. Never you mind, though, that Baucus’ chief health adviser is a former executive and top lobbyist at WellPoint — the largest private health insurance company in the U.S.
How many times have we heard the argument that the public option is “socialized medicine,” implying “death panels,” or that the health insurance companies would be at an “unfair disadvantage” and unable to compete with a government health plan?
During an interview on Democracy Now! in September, insurance giant CIGNA’s former chief corporate spokesman-turned-whistleblower, Wendell Potter, asked, “What is fair about the way that the insurance industries operate today, the companies that dump sick people when they need insurance most?”
CIGNA is notorious for denying claims and revoking coverage to clients for “undisclosed pre-conditions.”
Ask one of the many international students on campus how they feel about our public health care debate.
Harry Shepherd, an English and American studies major from England, said he doesn’t understand the confusion about public health care.
“In England, its simple,” Shepherd said. “Though we might wait a bit longer, we have a wide variety of options available. It’s just not out of pocket, it’s in taxes.”
International business major Akim Van Stekelenburg from Amsterdam — whose father is a physician — witnessed firsthand an opposite shift in the Netherlands health system from public to private over the past decade.
“Insurance got all commercial,” Van Stekelenburg said. “My dad was one of the few doctors who continued treating people even though they couldn’t afford the premiums and co-pays.”
Now that the issue has finally gained attention, it seems everyone is suddenly a health specialist. I’ve heard hours of interviews with industry analysts, commentators, health consultants, doctors and politicians.
In the end, I feel utterly disillusioned and fatigued. That is, fatigued from an over-abundance of information — jargon that means little because, as far as those who are in control are concerned, there is no legitimate opposing view. I feel completely removed from the process.
I know I’m not the only one who feels this way.
I am not a health specialist. I am a student and an ordinary citizen among many who are fed up and willing to take action.
President Obama promised “change.” If he and his Democratic majority won’t follow through on that promise, we will.
Brandon Stuhl is a junior English major and a contributing writer for the Daily 49er.
