Chuck Norris on Health Care
Chuck Norris has counted to infinity... twice.
Chuck Norris doesn't worry about changing his clock twice a year for daylight savings time. The sun rises and sets when Chuck tells it to.
Chuck Norris invented water.
Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.
Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door.
When the boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks the closet for Chuck Norris.
Bearing those facts in mind, when Chuck Norris talks health care--you'd better listen up!
On a more serious note, Chuck's thoughts on "Obamacare" from his weekly column are really quite lucid and sensible (to me, anyway) although some have poked holes in his logic (this individual is reportedly recovering from multiple roundhouse kicks).
Here are some of Chuck's thoughts on what he would say to congress and American students:
It is too much about prescription and not enough about prevention.
I'd tell them that the answer is not in big government solutions, and that it's time for government to quit enabling the majority of Americans, and equip them to fight for themselves and one another.
I'd tell them the truth is the No. 1 enemy of our health is not government, insurance companies or health care practitioners, but ourselves.
It's true that genetics, environment, socio-economic status, metabolism and behavior can be contributors to these ailments. But, the fact is most Americans are overweight and obese because they eat poorly and don't exercise. Most of our foods are extremely high in fats, sugars and salt. And, compared with other countries, we eat much larger portions. We live to eat; most other cultures eat to live.
I would tell Congress alone one more thing about Obamacare on behalf of the majority of Americans (including our posterity). I would tell them that America wants them to quit rushing every big decision, especially ones that affect one-sixth of the U.S. economy.
Very good points, but...
I don't pretend to know the intricacies of US health care, but I do know that the system is broken, and there is no easy fix. Clearly a big shift needs to take place, and it starts with Chuck's first point--prevention. As scary as it is now, over the next 20 years when the brunt of boomers will be senior citizens, things will become compounded.
The solution begins not in congressional hearings, budgets, health care plans etc., but with us. If more people decide to take charge of their own health, health care expenses would plummet. The real snag is getting the message across, and helping implement strategies to the masses, hoping that a cultural paradigm shift occurs whereby people transition into healthier living.
The other alternative is to have Chuck Norris tour around the country delivering roundhouse kicks to fast food restaurant patrons!
What do you feel are the most pressing healthcare issues needing to be amended? What do you think it will take for Americans (Westernized cultures) to change the way we live?
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Chuck Norris was bit by a cobra. After 5 days of excruciating pain... the cobra died.
I definitely agree that we are our worst enemies - the people. If we just adopted a prevention mindset, and put it into practice, this crisis may have never happened. But now I'm dreaming :)
ReplyYeah the crisis might not have happened....except for those people that do focus on prevention and happened to have the bad luck to be born with or develop an illness that couldn't be prevented.
I work out 3 or more hours a day, eat an organic vegan diet, take my vitamins, see a nutritionist...and I happened to be born with a very rare and very expensive disease that couldn't be prevented. If not for my insurance, I would be dead -- no amount of organic food or workout sessions could replace the surgeries and hospitals stays that I needed. Prevention is great, and desperately needed, but it doesn't address the needs of people with diseases that can't be prevented, especially when, under our current system, those same diseases make them uninsurable. (It also doesn't address the needs of people that are too poor and uninsured to see a doctor and learn how to prevent their health problems with simple steps, or don't have access to any fruits or vegetables in their neighborhood, but that's another issue entirely)
Honestly, this sounds more like a campaign against President Obama's healthcare plan than a campaign for prevention strategies.
ReplyI agree. Prevention is key but things happen whether we try our best or not.
Chuck Norris spoke out strongly against President Obama so he does have a political side.
People are dying due to the healthcare system right now. Stopping coverage or upping the premium sky high if you do get sick, not covering if you have a pre-existing condition which can be a small as acne for many insurance companies.
The insurance industry is in the playbook of let's see how many we can deny. My opinion is we need a healthcare overall big time.
If you are self employed or in a very small business, buying your own health insurance is cost prohibitive.
ReplyOkay Chuck, so what about the people who aren't fat slobs? Do you mind if they get health care? I've had a pain in my tibia for a week from jogging, I should probably see a doctor but I can't justify spending several hundred dollars for 10 minutes of a doctor's time right now, so i'm putting it off indefinitely. Is that what I get for excercising, Chuck?
The righties preach less government and less regulation which is exactly what got us this recession, the financial collapse, and the current embarrassing state of our health care system. Given the choice between making more profit and doing the moral thing, private enterprise will always choose more profit. Things will never get better without government intervention.
ReplyAgree again. The members of the Senate & House get this wonderful healthcare.. shouldn't we all?
ReplyThe legislation Congress is attempting to pass will not give Americans the same quality of health care that the Congress and President receive. They have exempted themselves from the mandate that forces Americans to purchase a specific product. This is unconstitutional.
ReplyThere is no "mandate that forces Americans to purchase a specific product". The only mandate that is being talked about is one that requires Americans to purchase any qualifying insurance coverage. It would only need to meet minimal requirements, which the Congressional insurance product no doubt exceeds.
Reply"The righties preach less government and less regulation which is exactly what got us this recession, the financial collapse, and the current embarrassing state of our health care system. Given the choice between making more profit and doing the moral thing, private enterprise will always choose more profit. Things will never get better without government intervention."
Interesting, I thought the Federal Reserve, the SEC, Congress, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and health care mandates and regulation at the state and federal level would count as government intervention in our economy and our health care system. And things aren't good enough, and you want more intervention.
The argument seems to be "I'm old/self-employed/sick/poor/afraid and I want the government to pick your pocket for me so I can pay medical bills without having to save/budget/incur any inconvenience whatsoever." And that's fine, if I had the political clout to get my pet projects paid for, I would probably do it. Just don't make it sound like some moral victory when you arrogate the power of the government to accomplish your thuggery.
ReplyTaking responsibility for our own health care isn't the answer with a broken health care system. I cannot find a "regular" job right now and I had to buy my own health insurance; I could only afford catastrophic coverage. I eat well and exercise, maintain my weight in the normal range, yet I was denied coverage immediately based on two medications I take. I have PCOS and take metformin to help control my insulin levels and was on Zoloft at the time; even ignoring that second medication, I was immediately denied because of the metformin, even though I was not taking it for diabetes, just because I was taking it. What's the point of having health care if you're going to be penalized for possibly needing it? That's what happens with a for profit system.
ReplyI am just with you all. I am passionate about this as an older person that is in the self employed group. Catastrophic coverage does not get you to regular check ups & then when something is really wrong because you could not afford to go to the doctor, it costs everyone more.
ReplyI stopped reading at "Chuck Norris"??? What the heck has he ever done. :)
The reason I don't think much of him is because at Parker's Internationals in 78 or 79, I was lined up to fight in black belt division and the line had closed. You see everyone jockeyed for position, to get next to someone (single elimination) that they thought they could beat.
Well instead of going to the end of the line (the rule if you showed up late), up strolls Chuck Norris with one of his black belt students and he placed him right next to me! The audacity of his massive ego! Line Jumping!!!
How to do really feel about Chuck Norris? I guess I've never gotten past that incident. He is an ok fighter, teacher, and yes even a good role model. But I'll never like him.
Sorry for the rant. :)
ReplyDid you win?
ReplyYep but I did not get too far that day so no trophy. :(
ReplyThat's a great story, John. I bet Chucks student wished he had been more polite! Interesting how personal contact with "celebrates" can really be telling as to their true nature.
ReplyOh boo hoo! Cry me a river man! You're still bitter about something that happened in '79? That was 30 years ago! A black belt is in body AND mind.
Let me tell you, if my black belt was still b**ching about something that happened over 30 years go, they'd get a roundhouse to the face. Point Blank Period.
I'm not saying what he did was right, I mean you coulda said something on that day, but you didn't. I've been known to freely express my opinions at martial arts when douchebags act up. But this was 30 years go... you can let it go now.
ReplyThanks FitJerk for putting it into perspective!
Replyyou're welcome.
ReplySo Chuck Norris (or any other celebrity, for that matter) is an expert on health care? Seriously?
ReplyChuck Norris doesn't have a chin under his beard, he has another fist!
Unfortunately that fist belongs to Bruce Lee.
Yes yes more people should put down the fork and work out. That changes the fact that millions of people don't have health insurance and can't afford to see a doctor if they get sick in what way?
ReplyI'm still amazed that Chuck Norris is still around and is a political writer. Surprised me! :)
ReplyCelebrities have no idea what goes on behind the scenes in the healthcare industry. The problem is the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies. I work in a private laboratory. We make money by charging our clients for the tests we do. Doctors order every test under the sun for someone with say, a UTI. How much do we charge for a UTI workup? Depends on who's paying. We bill Medicare $10. We bill private insurance companies $30-$40 or so. The patient doesn't really know how much they're actually paying for all this stuff because they just pay the copay but we have premiums that are through the roof to cover all the drugs we're on and all the tests the doctors order for us. If the insurance industry could be fixed somehow so that private insurance companies were somehow eliminated to prevent them from competing for more and more money, health care facilities would charge more reasonable rates for the work they do and the cost involved would decrease substantially.
ReplyOne problem is that the food stamp/food assistance benefit cards allow junk foods. You can get "take and bake" pizza, for example, which is not healthy. That practice should be stopped.
Also, go to the food banks or food drives--a lot of what is donated is unhealthy--processed foods like mac 'n cheese, other mixes which have lots of fat and sodium, and junk food. Even when there is fresh produce or basics like dry beans, rice, oatmeal, etc. available, often people choose NOT to take them and opt for whatever is easy to cook and has a lot of sugar. Most if not all states have some kind of courses on how to eat healthy on WIC or food stamps, so no excuses there, even if all you have to cook with are a microwave and/or coffeemaker or even a hot plate.
School lunches should be completely overhauled as well. They were offering free lunches to children under 18 through the school district (no income requirement) this past summer and I took one look at the menus, and cringed because they were nutritionally empty. The regular menu during the school year is the same. To be fair, some of the stuff you see in the lunches coming from home is no better.
And don't get me started on teachers who think it is okay to reward kids for good behavior with cookies/candy, or fundraising campaigns and their classroom reward parties consisting of pizza and candy....
I did not see anything in the quotes above that indicated Mr. Norris was against providing reasonably-priced healthcare to people who need it for reasons beyond their control (all of us at some point when you include unforeseen accidents). He was just pointing out that for many if not most, it is an issue of "eat right and exercise" which will keep us healthy over the long term.
Perhaps if more people understood and applied the concept, there would be enough money in the insurance pools to pay for situations such as the Brandy Stroeder case.
Reply