WHAT IF I COULD DONATE MEDICAL CARE

 COULD MEDICAL CARE FOR THE ELDERLY BE BETTER PROVIDED TO YOUNGER PEOPLE INSTEAD?

25 years ago my late father wondered aloud if it is good policy to spend  hundreds of thousands of dollars on medical care for elderly, dying people.  His musings were not born from selflessness.  My father, a successful business executive, posed policy that might deprive him of care as he aged, allowing someone else to live.  He was the philosopher and armchair politician.  I wanted him to live long and healthy thus the significance and numerous ramifications of his ideas escaped me.

Now, 35 years later with increasing frequency I recall his thoughts.  I am 79; I have had a triple heart bypass, two stents, eye surgery and other less important procedures.  I am on many drugs that prolong my life and health and to my credit I work very hard to maintain my own health.  

Except I probably eat too much chocolate.

I am entitled to my medical care.  I paid into Medicare for 50 working years and continue to pay for it in my retirement.  I have a generous supplement, for which I pay a great deal.  MEDICAID gives  health care to people; health care (MEDICARE) for which I pay dearly; MEDICARE that I believe is threatened by the siphoning of funds for MEDICAID, which the entitlement group receives for free. We should care for kids and let adults care for themselves. I do not care if ADULTS die in the streets for lack of food or medical care resulting from their life choices.  I prepaid and continue to pay for Medicare and I expect no degradation of my benefits.  No, I am not wealthy; I have provided for my family and me for my entire life and now I EXPECT the benefits for which I prepaid and continue to pay.  Politicians execute policy that benefits people who have never learned that the natural consequence of not caring for oneself is death.

Instead, what if:

1.  I can forfeit all further benefits which are then available to a relative or friend - perhaps a family provider - OF MY CHOICE who cannot afford health care?

2. I can donate my benefits to a non-profit OF MY CHOICE that will provide care for their legitimate - my criteria- clients.  An axiom to remember is “God helps him who helps himself.”  In no case would I want my health benefit to be given to people - professional victims - who choose to do nothing to care for themselves. In other words, do not “bleeding heart” (I know, that is not a verb) my donation.

There must never be an entitlement to any benefit I donate.  As the donor I have a complete right to vet a potential recipient or agency to make sure their values are in line with my values, i.e. no discrimination in any form that conflicts with my values.  For example, a third party agency may NOT include DEI in its selection process.  Because of the possibility an agency might not follow my wishes, I insist on the final vote on their recommended recipient and ALL vetting information would be provided to me; HIPPA is waived. Many years ago I participated in an exercise where a group of us had to determine the recipient of a kidney, choosing from several candidates deliberately painted quite differently. I broke out in a sweat. The ability to decide between life and death - to play God - of another person is a horrifying task but one which I will manage if I have the opportunity. As the donor I have the unmitigated right to decide the beneficiary and my choice will favor a person with my values.  By the way we gave the kidney to a young father of a family of four.

Judgmental, value-laden?  Of course!  But as I am the one making the donation I have an uncompromised right to select an individual whose values I share and for whom I feel sympathy. Charity begins at home, not in politics. NO DEBATE.

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