“Everyone eventually needs medical care in an emergency room somewhere; so, it’s only fair and reasonable that everyone have health care insurance.” That was how one U.S. Congressman recently responded to my inquiry not too long ago.
In fact, he had agreed to meet with me and a few other constituents to talk about health care reform, particularly one of the key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) – the that all Americans be required to have health insurance coverage by January 1, 2014.
Like so many others, he saw such insurance (and the associated premiums) as the “only way to pay for the costs of universal health care.”
But, it was his first statement – that “everyone eventually needs medical care in the emergency room” – that caught my attention, as he repeated it several times during our discussion. At first, I found myself nodding in agreement. Then, I started pushing back mentally.
“Wait a minute,” I thought. “I know several friends and relatives who lived into their 80’s or 90’s and either DID NOT NEED or CHOSE NOT TO USE the traditional, drug-based, medical system of health care, nor did they ever require the services of an emergency room.” They had learned to rely on a different system of health care – one based on prayer that increased their spiritual consciousness and led to effective healing of illness and disease.
As if on cue, two other constituents spoke up and told the Congressman what I’d just been thinking. They openly (but graciously) took issue with his statement that “everyone eventually needs medical care” and shared instances in their own families where that was not true. He seemed surprised, . . and genuinely interested in hearing of their own first-hand experiences.
Recent surveys have confirmed that 40% of American adults spend $34 billion (out-of-pocket) on a variety of alternative treatments, ranging from prayer to nutrition and exercise, to meditation and yoga, and beyond. Three out of four health care workers admit to using some kind of “alternative” health practice.
In fact, society may be far ahead of the media, whose predominant focus still seems to be on achieving and maintaining health through drug-based medical care.
I’ve found a health care system that meets all the goals of the current emphasis on health care reform – accessibility to anyone 24/7; affordability; and effectiveness. It “reforms” or transforms thought and consciousness spiritually and results in healing. For me, it has not only restored health in cases of illness or injury, but it’s a way of maintaining health on a daily basis.
