America's Highway to Health - An Op-ed

Want to get somewhere? To a friend down the block? A big city, states away? Need something delivered? Mail from your love? Amazon package? There it is! How? Our roads. A huge system of Roads, Freeways, Thoroughfares, Boulevards, Avenues, Lanes, Drives and Alleys. From sea to shining sea. Beyond your driveway, your block, city, county, state and country. By foot and by wheel there is local entry and universal access. Who needs it? Everybody. Who builds it? Everybody! And we use the government to do it. Local, State and Federal. Who pays for it? We all do. At the local, state and national level. Do we help pay for roads we’ll never use? You bet, the whole system is a mutual venture. That’s what makes it work. It wouldn’t if you only supported the route you drive to work on. We drive our cars where we wish. Yes, there are rules. And insurance is required to cover the risk. But overall, the highway system is an essential, beneficial, and shared project. It is a contract between the people and their government providing crucial infrastructure.

Want to be healthy? Want a productive life? Want to prevent disease, alleviate suffering, avoid unnecessary death? Want your loved ones, friends, neighbors to be able to pursue happiness? Want your employees to be productive? How are we as a nation to accomplish these goals? The answer - health care. We all need entry at a local primary care level and universal access. Who needs it? Everybody!! What do we use to attain health? Our health care system. We need health care from sea to shining sea. When do we need it? Our entire lives. From womb to old age! As individuals and communities. Who pays for it? We all do. Sometimes directly. Sometimes indirectly in order to prevent deaths of others, needless suffering, and loss of productivity. Do we pay for the care of others? You bet! But like our roads, our healthcare system is a mutual venture. That’s how it works best. If health care costs are not shared, the total price will go up and the system itself falls short for all of us. Just like drivers on roads, we all need insurance to navigate the healthcare system. That is how we share the risk of being alive. Our healthcare system is an essential, beneficial and shared project. It is a contract between the people and their government - to protect the lives of our most crucial infrastructure - our citizens. Brent and Celeste Morris

Something to think about, huh? - c