Our Nations Health

[Rick Noriega - SAC]

There has been much talk about our nation’s health care system lately. Unfortunately for us the talk has not been a good one. New studies are now showing that the United States is rapidly falling behind other countries when it comes to healthcare. The studies show shocking statistics ranking our country number 37 not only behind numerous developed countries but also a number of developing countries. The studies also shed light on the fact that out of six other nations with our commonwealth, Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, the United States has the highest rate of medical mistakes, medication errors, and inaccurate or delayed lab results. It is said that due to always increasing already high cost of health care that there is a high possibility that by late 2008 health care costs could start to exceed fortune 500 company profits (Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD). There is no one real solution to this massive problem that continues to worsen every day, but there are ways to make it better.

A lot of Americans are blinded by speeches that are untrue and tales of how good our health care system is. Despite what President Bush stated on 20 January 2007,

Americans are fortunate to have the best health care system in the world. The government has an important role to play in our system. We have an obligation to provide care for the most vulnerable members of our society -- the elderly, the disabled and poor children and their parents. We are meeting this responsibility through Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's health insurance Program. We must strengthen these vital programs so that they are around when future generations need them.

The only true statement in that paragraph of this health care speech is that we must strengthen the programs that we already have put into place. In order for us to have a chance at making things better we need a strong voice. Rick Noriega can be that loud voice and stand up for what is right. He insist on strengthening our Medicare, Medicaid, and the states children’s health care systems by finally demanding more funding to be put into more reliable research. Most of the money that is put into our healthcare system today is put into it by the citizens of this country rather than the actual government itself. As I stated earlier our government spends the least amount of money on healthcare than any other comparable government or economy. Not only is our health care system falling apart but it is now beginning to destroy companies. If we do not get some one who will try to be a part of the solution to this healthcare crisis. Rick as a former member of the armed forces knows how important it is to show our gratitude to veterans and current soldiers right now and insist on making better hospitals and cheaper health care costs for all of our nation’s armed forces (www.ricknoriega.com). He is also a family man and knows that a dad should not have to refuse to go to the doctor because of how expensive it is just so he will be able to feed his family. Our children should not be left with this sickness that is bad healthcare. We need to do something while we can still change things around and start to make them better. Rick Noriega has already begun to speak out in the senate expressing the need for better funding to our health care and he has also made sure that the funding and medicines got to the people and places that needed it most. Lets try to fix this disaster we call a healthcare system before it’s to late.

[Tramell Tennyson]

I have been thinking about this for the past couple of years. Our healthcare system is horrible and I do agree that it is time for a big change. I didn't know that it was so drastically bad until now.

[Michelle Garcia]

I do agree with Noriega, the United States needs to improve our healthcare system, especially for the young and the elderly. This is a shame that we are even in this situation. How is it if we are the most blessed country, that we even have this problem with healthcare? This should be the United States first priority. Hopefully, this will change soon.

[Vanessa Valdez]

Noriega is right. The US should strenghten their health care system. It is very important in people lives but sometimes the government fails to provide good service or no service to the needy people. Sometimes lab results take up to 3 months to come back. And people have to wait anxiously to see what is wrong with them. Health care should be the nations first priority.

[hconklin]

Mr. Noriega, This information about the health care our own citizens are not receiving is very unsettling. As an American myself, I wonder how we got into this position which is shameful and disrespectful to our peacekeepers, our elderly and the generation which will look after us - the elderly. I applaud you for looking into systems that are already in place rather than trying to make a quick cure all move.

[Alana Baron]

I had no idea how the health care situation was. We really need to do something about it, because health care is something that concerns us all. Of course we want to all be healthy, so let's elect some one who will try to improve it.

[Matt]

Rick Noriega hears this nations cry for a better health care system and is continuing to do everything in his power to ensure that it happens. Senator Daschle states, "The truth is we can't afford to not reform the health system." I agree with this statement because in a nation that is supposed to be one of the richest and most powerful in the world our government spends the least amount of money on the healthcare system out of any other comparable governments. In fact we spend more money for worse results than any other country that is as advanced as us. Rick Noriega has been an advocate of better healthcare not only for citizens but for soldiers and veterans ever since he finished serving his country as a member of the armed forces. He has heard the stories of wounded soldiers and sick veterans who refuse to go to the VA hospitals because of the terrible service and lack of up to date buildings. We simply make a mockery of this nation’s constant commitment to being a “big brother” nation, or a country that others can look up to and receive protection from. As of right now, today, America simply fails to live up to the standard that “the world’s wealthiest country should be the healthiest”.

this disaster we call a healthcare system before it’s to late.
I really think that it is not to late to fix this problem but lets do something about it now. We need to really start thinking about who we are electing to run our country and who really is looking out for us. We have so many means and are doing so little. I don’t think that it would be fair to bring our children into a world that can not provide them healthy lives at affordable costs. We should be able to live healthy lives whether we are rich or poor. I don’t think that we can afford to do nothing any longer we should have been proactive in the first place but it’s a shame that we still fail to react. We need to support Rick Noriega and his support to strengthen the programs that have already been put into place. Rick knows that something can be done and he wants to be the one to get it done. Rick wants to strengthen our healthcare system by better funding programs already put into place. Let’s give him a chance to do so.