John O. Andersen

Just a few weeks ago, a bright young 18 year old girl from our community
suffered a severe spinal injury which is expected to leave her permanently
paralyzed from the waist down.

This accident occurred while she was away at a college where she had entered
as a freshman just last August. Luckily, she had been wise enough to
purchase the medical insurance policy available to students through the
college.

Sadly, she has already almost maxed out her benefits. She will need
continuing treatment for many months and years to come. In addition, her
parents and younger brother must now move out of the house they were renting
into another house which will be more suitable for their handicapped
daughter. The new house will need to be fitted with a variety of items just
to allow this daughter to function on a daily basis. Such adaptations will
easily add up to tens of thousands of dollars of additional expense.

Friends of the family have already started an effort to raise funds to help
this family meet these anticipated gigantic financial obligations.

This is just another example of how getting sick or injured in the United
States can not only devastate your health, but your finances as well. Hey,
I won't argue that it's a great country to live in as long as you're young,
healthy, and have adequate coverage. It's just when one or more of those
factors changes that things can get precarious. Some time ago, I learned
that the
United States and South Africa are the only two major industrialized
countries
which don't provide universal medical coverage for all of their citizens.

I understand that around the turn of this century, fire protection in this
country was available only to those who purchased it through private
insurance. Along came some people who started saying that it would be in
the best interest of the community for fire protection to be universal. No
doubt, those vested in the existing system opposed this proposed change.
Perhaps they argued that public fire departments were socialist, and ran
against the
grain of so-called American "rugged individualism."

But those proposing public fire departments prevailed. Today, few if anyone
questions the value of and need for public fire departments. In fact, many
self-styled "rugged individualists" would even agree that fire protection is
one
of those things which promotes a feeling of security and well-being in a
community.

John Andersen
http://members.xoom.com/joandersen


P.S. This reminds me of a poem I've enjoyed for many years:

A Fence or an Ambulance

'Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,
Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant;
But over its terrible edge there had slipped
A duke and full many a peasant.
So the people said something would have to be done,
But their projects did not at all tally;
Some said, "Put a fence 'round the edge of the cliff,"
Some, "An ambulance down in the valley."


But the cry for the ambulance carried the day,
For it spread through the neighboring city;
A fence may be useful or not, it is true,
But each heart became full of pity
For those who slipped over the dangerous cliff;
And the dwellers in highway and alley
Gave pounds and gave pence, not to put up a fence,
But an ambulance down in the valley.


"For the cliff is all right, if your careful," they said,
"And, if folks even slip and are dropping,
It isn't the slipping that hurts them so much
As the shock down below when they're stopping."
So day after day, as these mishaps occurred,
Quick forth would those rescuers sally
To pick up the victims who fell off the cliff,
With their ambulance down in the valley.


Then an old sage remarked: "It's a marvel to me
That people give far more attention
To repairing results than to stopping the cause,
When they'd much better aim at prevention.
Let us stop at its source all this mischief," cried he,
"Come, neighbors and friends, let us rally;
If the cliff we will fence, we might almost dispense
With the ambulance down in the valley."


"Oh he's a fanatic," the others rejoined,
"Dispense with the ambulance? Never!
He'd dispense with all charities, too, if he could;
No! No! We'll support them forever.
Aren't we picking up folks just as fast as they fall?
And shall this man dictate to us? Shall he?
Why should people of sense stop to put up a fence,
While the ambulance works in the valley?"


But the sensible few, who are practical too,
Will not bear with such nonsense much longer;
They believe that prevention is better than cure,
And their party will soon be the stronger.
Encourage them then, with your purse, voice, and pen,
And while other philanthropists dally,
They will scorn all pretense, and put up a stout fence
On the cliff that hangs over the valley.


Better guide well the young than reclaim them when old,
For the voice of true wisdom is calling.
"To rescue the fallen is good, but 'tis best
To prevent other people from falling."
Better close up the source of temptation and crime
Than deliver from dungeon or galley;
Better put a strong fence 'round the top of the cliff
Than an ambulance down in the valley.


-- Joseph Malins (1895)



John
http://members.xoom.com/joandersen