State of State Health Care

I have health insurance. I am lucky. Other do not have it, and they're not. Health care should not be a function of 'luck', it should be a valued priority that everyone has access to.

Recently, I had the experience of having two procedures denied coverage by my health care provider, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. Not that any reader needs to know the intimate details of my medical history.

Suffice it to say that in each occurrence, it turned out that either Blue Cross sent the wrong information or had the wrong computer generated "message code" denying coverage. Had I not had the wherewithal to ask the right questions, and the patience to wade through the hours of conversations and waiting time for the customer service supervisors, I would be out thousands of dollars. I would imagine that this is done on a regular basis, and has cost others thousands of dollars or labor hours correcting the problem.

So, even if you have health insurance, you have to be the strongest advocate for the proper administration of your health insurance benefits. Michael Moore was right with SICKO.

Senator Joe Vitale has offered a program of health care for New Jersey residents, which I heartily support. In the current environment of budget crisis, it's going to be a tough road. However, given the balance of a health crisis versus a budget crisis, I'd want to avert the health problems each and every time.