Entitlement

I haven't thoroughly pissed off any of my more liberal friends lately, so I decided that it was time to 'take off the gloves' again, regarding healthcare.
As is true with nearly every tidbit fed to us by the media, I think that it is sometimes wise to question their facts, fact-finding process, and even their core assumptions.
For 2 years (since the beginning of the primary races), the media has been whole-heartedly supporting the candidate's cry for healthcare with universal coverage. As the healthcare debate has rambled on, I think that very few people have ever looked at the basis for the whole debate.... Do we really need a trillion dollar bill to extend healthcare to an additional 10% of the country (that's all the currently debated bill will cover)?
The following facts were found on google by searching out various websites, including the Illinois public aid office, department of health and family services, patient's first (non-partisan grassroots healthcare forum), rasmussen reports, etc.

In Illinois, a family of 3 (mom, dad, sonny-boy) are eligible for public aid up to 200% of the national poverty level. This means that at an income of $3052/month, there is still no cost to the family for their healthcare. Now, I'm not saying that 36K/year is a comfortable income. I am saying that no one will starve at 36K/year...AND they are still eligible for Medicaid. This seems to substantiate some claims being made by rasmussen and others that over 40% of the uninsured americans fall into one of two categories: are eligible for public aid, but CHOOSE not to apply, OR have income levels in excess of 75K/year, meaning that they could afford a modest healthplan but CHOOSE not to. This brings up a couple of disturbing thoughts to me. First, why can't the lower/middle-class afford healthcare? I happen to manage an indigent clinic. Let me tell you some FACTS about this population group:
1. every single one of them has a cell phone. Is a cell phone a necessity? 20 years ago, no one knew what one was, so I hardly think so. A convenience, yes...but a necessity? please. So this begs the questions, how much does the average cell phone bill run per month? I'd put money on about $100 month.
2. a huge number of people smoke cigarettes. I don't smoke, so I don't know prices other than what I see advertised in convenience stores. In chicago: about 7 bucks a pack. so, at a pack a day, that is $210/month.
3. most drink alcohol socially. Let's guesstimate that that is 2 drinks, twice a week. In a chicago bar, a beer is $4.50, a mixed drink is $6.00. far argument's sake, let's say one of each, to try to reach a fair norm. that's $20/week (with no tip) or about $80/month.
4. we validate parking, so I know that many of these patients have cars. a car may be an arguable necessity in the country, but it is not a necessity in the city. Average car payment nationwide: $250/month, plus $80/month for insurance.
STEPS FURTHER, because I notice things and listen.
5. many come in with hair extensions and fake nails. price? $100/month
6. many come in wearing designer clothes, prada shoes, coach purses. I'm not even going to guess a cost, because I can't afford that stuff, MYSELF.
7. they bring their kids in, sporting cell phones, hand-held playstations, and talking about their Wii's.

so what's my point? Easy. I read a letter the other day from a Physician who hit the nail on the head. We don't have a healthcare crisis, we have a lifestyle crisis. If you pick and choose only a COUPLE of the lifetyles above, most people have enough money to purchase major healthcare insurance, but CHOOSE to squander their money on other things. Then, they cry that the health insurance industry is unfair, so the government should step in and give them the insurance for free...not because they can't afford it, but because they don't want to change their lifestyle.
the kicker? the things that I have listed (and observed) above are public aid patients, which means that they are under the 36K scenerio...and they can STILL afford these amenities. How much more-so the people making 50 or 60K?
We need healthcare reform, and I'm not saying that we don't...but until we have some lifestyle priorities reformed, it will do little good.