In the current health care debate, I find myself swimming through the morass of numbers and arguments and I keep thinking about…Quebec.<\/p>\n
My family travels to Montreal and other points North fairly often and when I cross the border I feel a lightening in the pit of my stomach.<\/p>\n
Here’s why: I know that the people all around me — the gas station workers, the waiters and waitresses, the woman tidying my hotel room — they all have health care.<\/p>\n
Every one of them. <\/p>\n
Even that guy over there emptying the garbage can. And her, over there, the woman working in the seasonal gift shop. <\/p>\n
Everyone. When they have an ache or a cough or a pregnancy or a rotten tooth, they just…go get it taken care of.<\/p>\n
Yes, sure — they might wait in line for a while. Maybe they have to make an appointment for a week or two from now. <\/p>\n
I’m sure there are flaws to the system; there are flaws to every system.<\/p>\n
But when I come back across the border into the North Country, I know for a fact that one out of every ten people that I meet have zero options.<\/p>\n
None. One serious illness and they’re sliding down the ladder, bankrupt, homeless, game over.<\/p>\n
And most of those 10-15% are people struggling to make ends meet already, the aforementioned waiters and taxi drivers.<\/p>\n
(Though I find more and more of my friends — middle aged, 40ish folks — surfing the no-coverage tsunami…and trust me, 45 is a scary time to go insurance free.)<\/p>\n
The best that many of our North Country neighbors can hope for is that the hospital emergency room will give them free care when they reach a crisis stage.<\/p>\n
I know this isn’t exactly a logical argument. Any “reform” of our health care system that we cobble together will have to sort out heaps of details.<\/p>\n
I want it to be done really well and efficiently.<\/p>\n
But I’ll admit it: I like the gut feeling of the Quebec Effect.<\/p>\n
When you order a cup of coffee and you know the person topping off your mug isn’t perched on the edge of a precipice.<\/p>\n
That cheerful confidence that the kids playing with your kids are getting check-ups. It feels nice.<\/p>\n
And it’s a feeling I’m personally willing to pay a little extra for in one form or another. <\/p>\n
Your thoughts? Comment below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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