Can Marin Politics Hurt Marin's Health?

Before you get ready to get all upset, and viciously (can we still say that?) defend your political views, RELAX. I am writing on real-life health care realities. Not some ephemeral, wished-for ideological fantasy. Realities.

I fully understand that those of you who are reading this are likely fiercely independent in your personal decisions, including your health care decisions. Otherwise, you'd be one of the medical sheep out there, perhaps articifially chilling out on your Celexa or Prozac, or zoning out on your Ambien.

Since you like to make your own decisions, why hand that power to faceless bureaurocrats?

Getting into that massive thing called ObamaCare, take a look at Section 1311. It takes away, pretty damn directly, clinical authority from doctors. (I can assume chiropractors, accupuncturists, podiatrists, dentists, etc., also.) The decision to take a particular clinical action for you as a patient, or not, will be in, basically, a giant medical cookbook, full of flowcharts.

Don't believe it? I can tell you, way back in my lost years dealing with insurance companies, "cookbook" is the Way, in as cheap a way as possible. You think government is different? It's still somebody else paying, and, as the old saying goes, "Whoever pays the piper call the tune."

As confused as many of my chiropractic colleagues are, thinking that they are some sort of medical appendage, government control would complete their medicalization. Maybe they might be put to work swabbing the floors in the hospital. And you think that anything resembling actual Chiropractic would be covered?

Me? If it gets that far, you'll have to look for me in the hills, somewhere.

I believe in liberty, including the right to choose your health care.

Don Harte, D.C.
Marin Straight Chiropractor
Slayer of Subluxation