One of the most heated debates over the past years has been about healthcare for the people of our grand country and should the government pay for more of it like most industrialized countries do throughout the world.

Many will say insurance is the way to go, many will argue that we should have mandated healthcare for all, across the board, and others just think things are fine the way the are even though hundreds of thousands yearly can not afford to pay for the healthcare they may need or have gone bankrupt in doing so.

I have wondered many times as to why the United States, considered the most powerful nation in the world, seems to have some of the most problematic and costly healthcare in the world.

I have wondered many times as to why we here in the United States seem to pay the highest cost for medicines, sometimes up to 10 times more or higher than other industrialized countries.

I have wondered many times as to how anybody could possible consider profits over people, especially people needing to survive with a particular medicine that their company may supply.

I have wondered many times as to how anybody could possible consider cutting the budget for Medicare when it isn’t really their money to do so, as it came from what the people and employers contributed over the working years of those people.

I have wondered how anybody could just turn their back on those with major health issues, while giving more free money to those who already have more than they will ever know what do with.

A question I haver often asked myself and will ask the readers now – how much does it really cost you and/or your family for healthcare per year?

How much is the cost of insurance, whether you cover the full cost of monthly premiums or contribute a portion to what your employer may supply?

How much does your healthcare cost out of pocket after you have met all the premium costs, deductibles and caps that your healthcare coverage has?

I encourage people to take the time, sit down and figure out how much a year they spend total on their healthcare and then divide it by 12? What did you come up with?

Many people are surprised with how they are paying for their healthcare, while others for now seem to spend nearly nothing because of good health and maybe good health practices. But what happens when you suddenly get hit with some major illness or a chronic situation that will carry on for life?

How many can add up what they spend on healthcare and find that in takes up more than five but less than ten percent of their yearly income?  How many can add up what they spend on healthcare and find it takes up more than ten percent of their yearly income?

I will be honest, despite some research I have yet to find what I consider a reliable listing of the cost for the government to set up something similar to Medicare for all that live in this grand country, but I would guess that it will cost each of us something.

I can also tell you this, just because a person may be on Medicare – it does not mean the healthcare is free!!!  I know because I am on Medicare due to disabilities and yet I pay out to what amounts to over 20% of my Social Security Disability Payment to cover my Medicare and the supplements needed to go with it.  That my friend is not cheap, not while trying to pay my other costs to live.

Lucky for me, my wife is alive and well, plus still working so we can live as we do – which is very moderate compared to most.  Without it being the two of us, just one of us would be cutting out a lot of what most would see as living expenses – like maybe a nice cell phone or entertainment package for one or more televisions.

If all those working folks that are making normal incomes plus those making bizarre incomes, paid in an extra five-percent of their income in federal taxes – on a conservative thought of $1.0 trillion in income available for that extra five-percent tax, let’s see, five percent would be $50 billion in take in revenue from that extra tax – surely enough to take care of healthcare, maybe.

All I know is that we expect our people to decide between health and living way too many times and that is sad, especially for a country that is supposed to be based on a faith that claims love and care of all.

Remember, when your life is treated well by having proper health coverage no matter what the health is needing, then to me it seem to me having healthcare available to all is what our country is all about and for me that is worth the extra costs when all are expected and required to pay their share.

There we have it, another yapping by ‘Grumpy Gramps’.  If you want more from ‘Grumpy Gramps’ then check out the Facebook page of CrossDove Writer.

Until next time – prayers, blessing and happy thoughts – ‘Grumpy Gramps’.

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