Another historic event

President Obama signed the Health Care Reform bill into law today. I pray for my country. I pray that this can be turned into a force for good for our citizens, and become something we can be proud of. While there are things I like about the bill, there are also things I do not.

Like:

• Coverage can't be refused or cancelled because of pre-existing conditions
• Adult children can be kept on a parent's coverage until age 26
• No more caps on lifetime coverage

Dislike:

• Sweetheart deals that were required to "pass" this bill - so much dishonesty
  
• No real public option
• Being forced into buying insurance and it being a budget burden on the average middle class family -- the ones who don't qualify for assistance to purchase a plan and aren't rich enough to just cover the new payment. (This would be me.)

I'm worried about what I heard from a friend yesterday. His wife works for a doctor's office. The doctor has told his staff that in light of this passage he will no longer take any new medicare patients. That's not so new, finding a physician who would still take medicare. What I haven't heard of before is that he is planning on turning his practice into a "club membership" kind of deal. Patients would buy into his "healthcare club" for an annual fee of $1000.00. He would take only 20 to 25 members, and you have to be a member for him to see/treat you. After that, regular insurance and deductibles would apply (unless you're on medicare and then you can't be a club member). While I don't think there's anything illegal about this idea and possible practice, I can't help but think it's still wrong, on many levels.

So while I do believe, quite fervently, that the health care system in this country needs to be revamped, I'm just not really sure that this is the way to do it. So I pray for my country and my leaders, that they will do the right thing for us all.