Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Stupid Irony

Governor Phil "I made my millions selling health insurance and then proposed cutting nearly 1/2 a million adults from my state's Medicaid rolls when I became governor" Bredesen spent nearly a week in the hospital suffering from a reaction to a tick bite. That really sucks. However, he is apparently not recovering well, because he will be traveling to Rochester, Minnesota, to seek treatment at the Mayo Clinic. That really, really sucks.

The ironic part: he has the opportunity to seek treatment at the Mayo Clinic. Jim Bryant, whose Tenncare coverage was capped by Governor Bredesen, did not even have the opportunity to receive the lifesaving medications he needed at his local pharmacy.

I am grateful that the Governor has the opportunity to access care at Mayo Clinic. They took care of my Grandma Greene during the last years of her life in the late 70s, and right now, a dear friend is under their care. It is a fabulous place (well, several places now, really), and represent the finest the American health care system has to offer.

If I had the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart with the governor, I would ask that he take this opportunity to ask himself if quality healthcare is a right or a privilege.

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