Tracy Press

As unpaid health care bills send record numbers of Americans into bankruptcy, a local man predicts an approaching crisis.

What else are we going to see melt down in terms of value? We saw the high-tech industry bust five years ago, and now we are having a housing industry bust. What’s next — the high salaries of professional sports figures? Wall Street? Our 401(k)s?

I bet the next bubble to burst will be the medical services industry. The nation is in a crisis about medical services and people’s ability to pay for it.

However, many Americans with a “me first” attitude believe that a few more dollars a month in taxes to help provide universal health care is asking too much. So much for compassion and helping your fellow Americans.

Also, there’s the fact that many hospitals, some doctors and, of course, the insurance providers are not happy about this idea of universal health care. They would rather see people die or leave them bankrupt with outrageous and overpriced medical bills, along with poor quality of care.

The medical crisis is bankrupting our nation. Look at the dilemma that General Motors and other large companies face in providing medical coverage to their employees and retirees. This makes them unable to compete and become overpriced.

The year 2008 will be a banner year in bankruptcy courts, and 60 percent of the filings will be based on medical bills that can’t be paid. That tells you a great deal about our current medical services industry.

In my personal experience, I’ve received great care; however, after going in for a severe leg infection, I was left in debt and disabled, unable to walk properly. 

It has come to the point that only if you have super insurance do you get great care. If you have lousy insurance or no insurance, you will get huge medical bills you cannot pay. Or worse — you could die.

Most middle-class families have to put off all but emergency care because their co-pays are out of sight. In the case of our local hospital, there’s a massive campaign to raise money. However, not a dime goes to help people pay their medical bills. The money goes to new equipment and infrastructure. So what good is having the latest and greatest when no one can afford it?

When the meltdown comes, doctors and hospitals will have to go begging for patients, offer huge discounts or accept what the insurance pays. In the not-too-distant future, only the very rich with insurance will get and be able to afford medical care.

• Al Galaviz is a Tracy resident who describes himself as a printer, patriot and parent.

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written by Whoa , April 23, 2008

Yo Al, please tell me one thing the Govt does well enough that demonstrates their ability to solve the medical crisis you see coming?

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written by Al Galaviz , April 23, 2008

Well, if they can cover McCain, his coveage should work for all of us.

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written by Whoa , April 24, 2008

Yo Al, Hillary has the same medical plan. Can't she use that to fix those thick ankles of her's?! They make me sick looking at them.

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written by c.n. , April 25, 2008

Whoa, thick ankles makes you sick? I want to know if Obama or McCain's exposed body parts would also make you feel that way. Please...........judge her for the strong leader she is. She was way before her time trying to reform health care and if we (and the Republican Congress) would have listened, we would not be in this mess. It's that simple.

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written by Ruth Ann , April 25, 2008

This is very sad about our health care system. San Joaquin General Hospital is in a deficit, who knows how long it will take but sooner or later it will get closed down if they aren't able to come up with more money. This is a great hospital that never turns anyone away and is also the only hospital that has a fully equipped for trauma and for disasters in the central valley. With the new predictions given by seismic scientists that say that there is about a 95% probability that norther California will suffer an extremely devastating earthquake within the next 30 years, I don't know what we would do without San Joaquin General. We will surely suffer a devastating amount of fatalities without SJGH. Hopefully it's still around when this happens.