Mike Coffman’s Excellent Adventure: U.S. Health Care System Works!

After receiving treatment for an ankle injury, Colorado Congressman Mike Coffman told The Denver Post, “I successfully tested our health care system,” he said, with a laugh. “It works.”

Whether it was a pathetic attempt at humor or just plain insensitivity, access to affordable health care is no laughing matter to tens of millions of Americans who are either underinsured, or have no health insurance at all. So the system “works.” Nice to know. Now how about letting the rest of us in on it?

The Republican Congressman, who voted against the health care reform bill passed by the House, is covered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan. A large portion of his health care premiums are paid for by the taxpayers — you and me. He has had the benefit of choosing from many taxpayer subsidized plans (sounds like proposed “exchanges”) with reasonable deductibles and co-pays for doctors and prescriptions, not to mention a healthy salary as a Congressman.

Of course we all know that everyone in the U.S. has access to health care, at least that’s what people keep telling me. That’s why we have emergency rooms. But it’s not as simple as all that, is it?

The emergency room will not give you preventative care, or ongoing care, and rest assured — you will be billed and you will be expected to pay. If you are uninsured, you will be charged top dollar. If you own a home or have any other assets, they will be put in serious jeopardy. If you went to the ER for an injured ankle, you may come out oaky, but if it was a more serious injury or illness, charges can quickly add up into the tens of thousands. Many a bankruptcy has resulted from such a scenario.

Indeed, unlike the comfortably insured Congressman, many Americans are forced to skip needed health care or prescription medications. Congressman Coffman and his like-minded anti-reform peers enjoy a level of security that many of their constituents lack, and it must be a particularly good feeling because it tends to blind them to the plight of others.

Wealthy conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh also recently had a brush with the health care system and had this to say, “Based on what happened to me here, I don’t think there is one thing wrong with the American healthcare system. It is working just fine.”

The loudest voices against reform seem to flow from those who have access to the finest medical care money can buy, with little regard for those who do not. You’re right, guys. Medical care in America is not a problem — access to care is.

Read more about the health care benefits to being a U.S. Federal Employee/Member of Congress: The Widest Selection of Health Plans in the Country.

Would Congress Put Their Own Health Insurance Benefits on the Line? Now that would be a strong statement of conviction for those members of Congress who stand against reform.

Confused about health policy and reform, and were to get up-to-date, accurate information? Bookmark this page: Keeping Track of Health Care Policy and Reform

Get my updates on Twitter @AnnPietrangelo

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/124837

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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June K.

4:35AM PDT on Aug 30, 2010

I would like a little more security for my health care, but I just lost my job. We have social security and just imagine what would have happened to our seniors if that was privatized. I'm sorry, but when I think of our economic problems failed privatized greed seems to be the problem, not failed government programs. Banks, Enron, the savings and loans & the tax payer still ends up paying. I think I would rather pay where I get the benefit instead of paying for a banking executives bonus for screwing us so successfully. But hey, I guess we would rather be known as the only industrialized nation without health care for it's citizens. I guess we need to apply to the UN since we can't afford to take care of our own citizens. Sorry, I'm kind of down, but it US bashers get my goat. Why is it okay to always imply that the US government sucks? I wish people where a little prouder of being a US citizen. I guess lots of people are political patriots and think it is okay to only stand up for their country when their political candidate is president and don't care what damage they do degrading their country when an opponent is in office.

send a green star

Past Member .

6:52AM PDT on Aug 25, 2010

Think about it. Is Health Care by the Post Office really the answer? How do we pay for The Amtrak Health System? The rich will find a way not to pay the increased taxes. The poor won't pay. The middle class will pay what they pay now for insurance (or what is deducted from their paycheck) to the government. If you believe that the government will lower those costs and run health care more efficiently, I have a bankrupt car company to sell you. Taxes will have to increase exponentially or there will have to be cuts in service or rationing. Taking huge amounts of money out of the economy will have a devastating effect since unlike Europe we have a huge military budget. Most of Europe's economies stagnate with just the government run health care, (and minus lottery jackpot lawsuits) our economy will be severely damaged by both. Not to mention the horrible inefficiencies we will suffer from care by bureaucrat. I'll take my chances with the private system.
Increase Your Sales

Gale J.

3:46PM PST on Jan 16, 2010

I don't wish to contradict anyone or anyone's comment but I question those that say universal, non-profit, one-payer systems don't work. Consistently the citizens of such countries as Canada, Britain, France, Norway, Sweden and Denmark overwhelmingly express their satisfaction with their health care. Often comparisons that are offered to refute the adaption of such a system here are skewed. For instance it is often cited that Canadians are not provided with adequate facilities without mentioning the pertinent facts. Canada is a large country geographically, slightly bigger than the U.S. but with only about 10 to 12 percent of our population. Those statistics alone would make it understandable why they may have fewer health facilities and why there may be some distance issues. On the other hand we have a severe shortage of doctors in general practice and many people that can physically access health care facilities may not have the wherewithal to actually use them. These anti-health care reform comments always seems to be posed with a veneer of incredulity by people that don't seem to be able to see how our system is failing. Recently my son suffered a painful tooth abscess and I can't, as a parent, imagine my child being in that kind of pain and not being able to provide him with the appropriate care. No parent should have to ever do that nor should people have to forego medicine or medical care because of money. Our system is broken and we must have health care reform now.

Jessie H.

6:32PM PST on Jan 11, 2010

Haha! What a dick. Interesting post --- thank you!

4:55PM PST on Jan 11, 2010

Unfortunately, Rachel I don't think we can get from A to B in one step and while learning to walk I think we will stumble and have to pick up ourselves and try again. We will never get anything if we wait for something perfect. Governing is an on-going process and you get what you can and move on.

Rachel E.

3:35PM PST on Jan 11, 2010

Medicaid is available to everyone with low income. Anybody who does not qualify for mediciad, can call the health department and ask for a buy-in program. Sometimes it's too expensive so you ask them for other options, they are quite nice about it and can help you get on an affordable plan, based on your income. I agree we need reform in this country, just not what this government is offering. The U.K has had SEVERE problems with socialized medicine...and so have other countries, regardless of what a few people have said, the majority are having problems. Just like this guy saying "our healthcare system works" people have listened to a few people from other countries make claim to an entire public opinion. Don't be fooled, the bill they are proposing in America supports abortions, alot of doctors are threatening to quit, and if you do not BUY a plan from the government, which won't even be available for the first 6 months, you will have to pay a $750 fine to the IRS. These are only a FEW problems with the proposed plan. It's not that we all don't want everybody to have health insurance, of course we do, we're human and I strongly believe in human rights! BUT...not like this, we deserve healthcare but not what they are offering. It will be more costly, it will be less quality, it will increase our national debt, it will just be a huge problem. We need to make people more aware of available plans and make it easier to apply for them. We need REAL reform

4:33AM PST on Jan 11, 2010

If I had the power and sayso, all the CEOs and executives of health insurance companies would be sent to prison for racketeering, scamming the public, discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions, and just plain being greedy at the expense of the public. And by the way, the key to their prison cells would be thrown away. Those Senators and Congressman/Congresspersons who think it is OK that taxpayers who pay for THEIR excellent health insurance should have to settle for a lot less in the name of avoiding the dreaded socialist medicine deserve to be voted out of office and ruined for life. I don't care if the legislator is Republican or Democrat, if they think their own constituents, especially poor people should settle for poor coverage or no coverage because they are not considered deserving because of their socioeconomic status. Same goes for the legislators and pretty much anyone else who thinks access to health care should be a privilege not a right. They are the kind I love to verbally beat up on. They are the arrogant types whose feelings I don't mind hurting. They are the ones who don't deserve any tact whatsoever. They might think it is OK for them to have health care but not others whom they consider "inferior" to themselves, and not others, but they will not be privileged to receive tact from me. I can dish it out either way, but I will not mince hurtful words to those arrogant enough to think they should have health care but not others.

gerlinde p.

11:06PM PST on Jan 10, 2010

healthcare is a human right.

Heather B.

4:34PM PST on Jan 10, 2010

Sheesh, what a couple of ignorant, spoiled men. Thank you for the article, Ann.

12:21PM PST on Jan 10, 2010

Kris, who is your Aunt's doctor? She has regular preventive care visits? She is quite lucky usually my experience is that you don't have insurance you can't get a primary physician. Yes, most ER's won't turn you away if you are drastically ill though I know of a couple instances where one ER has tried to send a non insured patient to another ER and the patient has expired en-route.

Unfortunately, if your Aunt isn't getting preventive care her expensive care is costing all of us, while preventive care would have saved everyone time and money. So is our health care system really working if we make everyone get very sick to receive any care? You might want to check and see if your Aunt has any court actions too if she is not paying her bills, yet has income for new TVs.