It goes without saying...

I never agree with Charles Krauthammer, well, hardly ever. But, this week, he really had his head up his butt. So, I sent this somewhat angry missive to the editors of TIME.

>I think Mr. Krauthammer is getting a little confused as he inches towards old age. In his essay, “In Defense of Certainty,” he alleges that the problem with secularists is first, that they have no beliefs, and secondly, that they are trying to shove those beliefs down our nation’s throat. He also does not seem to have a healthy grip on the value of pluralism, one of the values, according to Krauthammer, for which secularists apparently can’t quite seem to find enough time to endorse. In fact, if any criticism of his is fair, it is not that liberals don’t have values, it is that we so often talk of respecting others’ points of view, that they take us at our word. Liberals, however, do have values. For instance, demanding moral behavior from a nation in the midst of a war is what some might call a quaint, old-fashioned value—the kind of thing reserved for Quakers and Buddhists. Having values makes you wise; being uncompromising, however, makes you an ass. In other words, unskeptical certainty quickly leads to being certainly wrong.<



I'm assuming that it won't be published, saving me the ignominy of my pretentious arrogance being broadcast to the country. Plus, that sentence about pluralism is horrible. I can't believe I didn't do a third edit on this before sending it out. Oh well, chalk that up to the dangers of e-mail.

I bought the album, Dookie by Green Day. I considered buying the International Superhits album, but, I decided not to as a matter of principle. I really wanted to own "Basketcase", because I thought it might give me clarity. Plus, there is something to be said for owning a CD, coverart, case and all (don't tell the music industry I said that.)

Well, it inspired me to go back and check out my insurance company website. I received my PIN number a few days ago, so I logged on, and I found a veritable dearth of information. Well, I realized that, for the information I was seeking, I needn't have gotten a PIN, but we all know I'm certainly an idiot. (Certainty is my new friend, thanks Krauthammer!) I feel so loved by the people at Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Here's what I can get.

"Anthem KeyCare provides coverage for routine check-ups and sick visits.

office visits, etc...

mental health and substance abuse care"

Here's what I can't get...

"To help manage health care premiums, Anthem excludes from coverage certain services that are considered to be insufficiently effective, experimental, inappropriate or outside the practical scope of coverage. More information is provided in individual policies, but here is a detailed list of exclusions to help you evaluate the extent of our coverage. The following services will not, under any circumstances, be covered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Unless another type of service is specified, the word "services" means both services and supplies. Benefits for the following will not be provided:

• The following mental health services and substance abuse services:


• inpatient stays for environmental changes;


• cognitive rehabilitation therapy;


• educational therapy;


• vocational and recreational activities;


• coma stimulation therapy;


• services for sexual deviation and dysfunction;


• treatment of social maladjustment without signs of a psychiatric disorder;


• remedial or special education services; or
  
• inpatient mental health treatments that meet the following criteria: more than 2 hours of psychotherapy during a 24-hour period in addition to the psychotherapy being provided pursuant to the inpatient treatment program of the hospital; group psychotherapy when there are more than 8 patients with a single therapist; group psychotherapy when there are more than 12 patients with two therapists; more than 12 convulsive therapy treatments during a single admission; or psychotherapy provided on the same day of convulsive therapy."

God bless capitilism, or to coin a new-phrase, bio-medical fascism! I know that all people who work for the insurance industry aren't evil, but it's comforting to imagine a band of mustache-twirling villains denying people's claims in a soulless vortex of cubicles.
The problem with medicine is a fundamental problem that neither the market nor government can solve. The problem is that our curiosity is only limited by time and space. This means that there is almost unlimited funding for medical research in this country. This means that there is almost no limit on the possible costs to "save" someone's life. When it comes to human life, it is impossible to put a dollar figure on it. Therefore, when people are scared $и!+less of death, they will spend ridiculous amounts of money to "save" their lives. Thus, the medical insurance companies have to pay for it. This being a capitilist society, they are in business for business, and have to protect their bottom line, so they jack up the prices. Therefore, in the end poor people end up taking it up the hind end. Not that socialized medicine would resolve all of these issues, however, it would mean a broader distribution of heinie violations.
But, let's give Mr. Krauthammer his due--since I'm a liberal, I'm going to shove these my political values down America's throat, while at the same time not believing in anything and whinily β!+¢иing about how it is so horrible that people do have values. Господи, I'm a jackass.