We need National Health Care

I just got a notice that my health care is going up again this year. In 2006, it was around $300 a month. Expensive, but it was good insurance and because of pre-existing conditions, it was my only option. I have group insurance through an organization for the Entertainment Industry. Paid quarterly, it was around $900 every 3 months. That's around $3,600 per year.

In 2007, they hit us with a bombshell. It more than doubled to a whopping $700 a month, or $2100 quarterly, or over $8000 a year. One would think that this outrageous increase would be illegal or at least catch someone's attention. Apparently, this only happened in California. No reason to care – it's a blue state.

I just received the notice about next year's rates. Again, it's only California. $1030 per month, around $3100 per quarter, over $12,000 a year. And believe it or not, that's the cheapest one on the list. If I lived in San Diego or San Francisco it would be much higher.

What's shocking to me is that this can go on and no one in government cares. Instead of throwing out the broken insurance and medical industry and taking care of its citizens, the US continues to be the leader in backward, selfish thinking. Why do I need to pay the equivalent of my rent every month just to be free to hope I don't need to use it?

The health industry is out of control and we need someone strong enough to get into office and say, "This system is broken. Let's throw it out and start over." I know that we won't be able to fathom all of the horrors of the Bush Administration until decades have passed. We'll be paying for having allowed a dictator into office for a long time to come.

There are no guarantees any of us will live that long – not with the current state of health care in this country. Angry? Damn right I am.