Health Care Reform and Ron Clark

Since Ron Clark became ill, and especially over the past year or so, I have known very little of the news.  Sometimes, Ron and I would watch the local news together in the mornings or at night.  We welcomed heartwarming stories of people who were paying it forward and of our southwestern Michigan communities thriving.  We mourned at all the tragedy, especially each trumped-up violent or horrific atrocity.  These seemed almost too much to bear when we were also facing his terminal illness.  And things got busier.  And eventually, we stopped watching.  We would get the news we wanted from the internet – from Facebook and from his forums.  If we wanted to research a story more, we did it on our own and not through the television.  We checked the weather by looking outside, especially once I took off work to care for him.  Five months ago, our news bubble shrank drastically to encompass only what was taking place in our home, going on with our families or friends, and what medical appointments Ron had to attend on a given day.

I have not watched any news whatsoever since he died.  I just have not had tolerance for it in my life.  But, I do not live in complete isolation, so I do know that last Thursday the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of President Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act.  (In my head, I hear applause.  J)

The mix of emotions that washed through me when I heard the outcome was vast.  Surprise was first.  Then relief that people will be able to access the care they need without overpricing and preexisting conditions getting in the way.  Joy that healthcare will become more accessible for everyone, no matter whom they are or where they come from or what their sex is or what diseases they may or may not have had.  Happiness that preventative care will be offered and insurance companies will be held more accountable.  Fear of the news-frenzied misinformation political backlash I knew would be coming.  Frustration with people who do not seem to grasp the concept in its entirety or see the real life implications (like Ron, for example), and instead focus on the smallest negative details and paranoia of the government taking over their lives or forcing them to pay for other people (is the implication that they are somehow less deserving?) to have easier access.  Pride in Obama and our country for this monumental step toward a universal healthcare system that will be closer to that of other developed nations.  Anger that this did not come soon enough to help Ron.  And, as permeates every day and every train of thought I have, my immense sadness that Ron is gone.  I think he would be pleased with this outcome and I wish he had lived to see the day when it is implemented.  I can even envision the smile he would have and a few ecstatic expletives he might shout for good measure.   

I cannot pretend to wax political on what it all means or act like I know every detail or have all the answers.  As mentioned, I am pretty much news-free these days.  But, I will direct those who want to read the full law to the HealthCare.gov website.  And, you diehard news junkies don’t need to worry about me . . . I have enough to process right now.  I hope to one day rejoin the world of concerned citizens who care about all that is happening . . . I just don’t live there right now.

However, constitutional does not mean the Affordable Health Care Act is yet implemented or that there won’t be roadblocks and naysayers along the way.  I am quite certain that the President has his work cut out for him.  For those of us who want to help him in any way we can, I again refer you to the blog of one brilliant Colleen Cook, who offers a sample letter regarding Ron’s story that you can send to your federal representative.  It could not be easier, since she even provides the link to contact your representative.  You can tweak the letter as appropriate and use it whenever a need arises along the way to encourage your representative to support President Obama in implementing and improving the Affordable Health Care Act. 

If you were like me, and missed the news of the day, I refer you to the White House Blog, where you can learn more and also watch Obama’s speech.  He makes it clear, “I didn’t do this because it was good politics.  I did it because I believed it was good for the county.  I did it because I believed it was good for the American people.” 

This law would have been good for Ron, even if he was initially skeptical of it when I met first him (Ron worried, three years ago before it was fully introduced, that he would never be able to afford healthcare because of his genetic disorder and that he would wind-up having to pay a tax to be uninsured).  If this law would have gone into implementation while Ron was younger, it would have provided him with access to the health care he so desperately needed and went without for nearly a decade.  It also would have required him to maintain the health insurance he needed (while making it affordable to him) rather than going without care (or else risk paying the dreaded tax).  I tend to think that people value what they are paying for, whether through their earnings or whether through a subsidized insurance or public health program.  I suspect Ron would have made use of that insurance, had he had it.  I believe that we all have a personal responsibility to our bodies . . . to treat them well and keep them functioning in good shape for as long as we can so that we can be healthy, happy, and live fulfilling lives.  A law that reinforces that concept would have done wonders for Ron.  I truly and fully believe that his outcome would be much different if he’d lived during the time of the Affordable Health Care Act than the tragedy that actually happened during his short lifetime. 

One of my dear friends, Charles Thomas, writes a column for a local newspaper.  Today, his column was about Ron Clark.  Ron and Charles became good friends, sharing news stories and interest in technological gadgetry and swapping ideas about books to read and documentaries to watch.  They were nerd buddies . . . and I love my nerds.  I know Ron would be so honored that Charles chose to write about him this week.  The piece Charles wrote could not be anymore timely, coming on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision and just before Independence Day.  I encourage you to read Charles’ “Beyond Red and Blue” column and to follow his advice to think of Ron this Fourth of July . . . and any day that you need to be reminded of the real implications behind the need for healthcare reform. 

Thanks, Charles, for sharing the legacy of Ron.