Michelle Malkin makes a query:

This question is for grown-ups only: Who deserves government-subsidized health insurance?

It’s the wrong question. We should not have insurance at all. We should have coverage. And when I say that, I mean all of us should have health coverage…even Bill Gates…even Brittney Spears. It should be basic. We don’t want people clogging the health system over headcolds and stubbed toes. And if people want better health coverage…insurance, if you will, then they can buy it.

No citizen of this country should lack health coverage. Canadians understand this. And it really isn’t that hard to understand. But the right-wing Republicans think people’s health care should be tied to their success. They’re currently pretending that they support health care for poor people, but only for really poor people. Anyone that’s not really poor should just work harder so that they can afford health care. But they actually feel that anyone that cannot afford health care has something wrong with them, like: sloth, stupidity, or the worst of all moral failings, a preexisting condition.

Of course, the Frost children both have preexisting conditions. Not only that, but their parents (allegedly) have three cars. They’re not poor enough to deserve health care. But they’re also not industrious enough (as Malkin demonstrates by posting a letter ostensibly written by a neighbor of the Frosts):

They’re good people. Terribly misguided, pathetically leftist buffoons, but still good people…Bonnie works half time doing freelance editorial work and Halsey, an incredibly disorganized lovable goofball, just can’t seem to hold down a proper job or, when he’s tried, to run a proper company. He’s a millwork carpenter and does great work installing custom interior and exterior trimwork and cabinetry. He should be making great money but can’t get out of his way…

In the wingnut world view it is the Frosts own fault that they cannot afford health coverage for their special needs children because they are not that good at business. Why should the government help their kids when the father can’t even get out of his own way when it comes to making money?

But…the main point is that they’re not destitute. And since they’re not destitute they shouldn’t qualify for government assistance. The wingnuts don’t say it, but the implication would be that the Frosts should quit making any money and become destitute. Then their kids would deserve government assistance. But that’s contrary to their first point about the Frosts lack of industriousness and business savvy.

All of which gets back to point about insurance versus coverage. Kids that require lots of health care are uninsurable. Insurance doesn’t work for someone that is already sick. Why should a medical insurance company take $1000 from you when they are guaranteed to have to pay out $20,000 for medical expenses. Why should they take $19,999 from you? The insurance industry is a gamble. You are gambling that you will get sick and the they are gambling that you won’t. If you’re already sick you can’t bluff and you’re screwed.

And people get sick all the time…from genetics, from environmental toxins, from accidents. Rather than turning our health into a for-profit casino when the odds always favor the insurance industry, we should cover everyone…preexisting condition or no. In fact, we should especially cover those with preexisting conditions; people like Graeme Frost and his sister who suffered severe brain injuries in a 2004 car crash. Here’s a reminder of what this unfortunate child said in his response to Bush’s radio address announcing his veto of the SCHIP bill:

“Hi, my name is Graeme Frost. I’m 12 years old and I live in Baltimore, Maryland. Most kids my age probably haven’t heard of CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program. But I know all about it, because if it weren’t for CHIP, I might not be here today.

“CHIP is a law the government made to help families like mine afford healthcare for their kids. Three years ago, my family was in a really bad car accident. My younger sister Gemma and I were both hurt. I was in a coma for a week and couldn’t eat or stand up or even talk at first. My sister was even worse. I was in the hospital for five-and-a-half months and I needed a big surgery. For a long time after that, I had to go to physical therapy after school to get stronger. But even though I was hurt badly, I was really lucky. My sister and I both were.

“My parents work really hard and always make sure my sister and I have everything we need, but the hospital bills were huge. We got the help we needed because we had health insurance for us through the CHIP program.

“But there are millions of kids out there who don’t have CHIP, and they wouldn’t get the care that my sister and I did if they got hurt. Their parents might have to sell their cars or their houses, or they might not be able to pay for hospital bills at all.

“Now I’m back to school. One of my vocal chords is paralyzed so I don’t talk the same way I used to. And I can’t walk or run as fast as I did. The doctors say I can’t play football any more, but I might still be able to be a coach. I’m just happy to be back with my friends.

“I don’t know why President Bush wants to stop kids who really need help from getting CHIP. All I know is I have some really good doctors. They took great care of me when I was sick, and I’m glad I could see them because of the Children’s Health Program.

“I just hope the President will listen to my story and help other kids to be as lucky as me. This is Graeme Frost, and this has been the Weekly Democratic Radio address. Thanks for listening.”

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Graeme Frost, 12, was in a serious car accident a few years ago and suffered severe brain trauma. He was in a coma and lost his ability to eat and walk. Fortunately, Graeme was covered by the CHIP program and was able to get the medical care he needed. After extensive therapy and continual treatments at a clinic he goes to every summer, Graeme has regained his functional abilities. He still needs to visit several different specialists, and his mother, Bonnie, says he would not have survived – or would at least be wheelchair-bound – without medical coverage.