I am Second

What About Bob?

There are things that you see in your life sometimes that just amaze you. I have been working with our youth for a couple of years now. I must admit that at times I have been frustrated thinking, "are we really doing any good here, are we getting through to these teens." Then one of them does something that really makes you proud.

I first meet Bob Sunday morning at our church, when you first look at Bob you can tell right away that he has not shaved in a while and probably has not taken a shower in a while. See Bob is homeless, but he came to Tulia and to our church Sunday morning for a reason. Our church put Bob up in a local motel Saturday night and Sunday night. I went and picked up Bob on Monday morning and we had some coffee and talked. Bob started telling my his story. He was living in New Mexico. Bob has had some tough times in his life, and he would tell you that a lot of those tough times were brought on by some of his choices, no one elses. Bob decided one day that he was tired of living around drugs and alcohol and decided to leave his home and look for answers in his life from God. Bob ended up in the mountains of Colorado. He was living off of ramond noodles, living in a tent, sleeping on the ground. Bob told me in his words, "I was ready to give up and just die, but then Phillip walked into my camp." Phillip is a member of our youth group here at Central Church of Christ. Phillip talked to Bob each day that they were there and him and his family helped feed Bob each day, see Phillip and his family were on vacation in the mountains when they came across Bob. During their conversations, Phillip told Bob, "if you want to go some where and get help, you should come to Tulia to our church and they will help you." Bob hitchhiked from Colorado to Tulia over about two weeks and worshiped with us Sunday morning and then ate with us at our pot luck.

It is Wednesday and Bob is still in town, I went and picked Bob up and he came to church with us tonight. I thank everyone from our church that welcomed Bob and had conversations with him. One of our youth member gave Bob a huge hug tonight which is what Bob needs more than anything, Thank you Halle! I have spent the last couple of days with Bob trying to find him a job here in Tulia. Have not had a whole lot of luck. Bob is currently at our local Half way house. He is not there because he is currently on drugs, but it is a place he can stay and they can help him find work. Thank you to Greg Culwell for helping me with Bob and making him feel welcome. Bob did NOT really want to go here, but I told him they could help him find some work. I left him there yesterday, (Tuesday) I could tell that he was a bit scared and not sure about staying. I went this morning to check on Bob, he meet me at the door with a big smile on his face and said, "this was a good idea, i think I will be able to stay here for a while." Bob asked me to come get him to go to church tonight I did and he enjoyed it a lot.

This whole thing has really opened my eyes to my blessings. I believe that God has put Bob in my life, to help me open my eyes to a lot of things. Bob tells me all the time, "thanks for helping me," but really Bob has maybe helped me more than I have helped him, and for that I thank him. The other thing about this story, I am remined about Jesus telling us to become like little children. Phillip is not a little child, he is a teenager, actually he did something that most adults would not have done. He saw Bob as having a future, he did not judge him, he loved him and was a friend to him. Sometimes as adults, we see people like Bob and we look the other way, and judge them. One of the things that Bob told me was that the last several days has been the best days that he has had in a long time, "I got to sleep in a bed, take a shower, eat a real meal it was paradise." This real meal was from Sonic, I am so spoiled, I have never thought about Sonic being a real meal. The future is bright for Bob I believe, Phillip has planted the seed, and God will make it grow. I ask for your prayers for Bob, I will keep you updated about what is going on with him.

Do we want it like this??

Roller babies

Common Sense Health Reform

So many things happening in the Health Care debate, its hard to keep up with. I spent most of the morning this morning writing e-mails to Senators and Congressman. This afternoon I read that some are coming together and maybe going to propose health reform with OUT the government option, which is what we want. Anyway, just for fun since I am really getting into this, I have come up with a "bill" of my own. Not that anyone really cares, but who knows.
I do believe that we need health reform, but not a government option. President Obama keeps telling us that there are all these people without health insurance, I agree with that but who are they? It has been my experience, being in the insurance business that the following groups represent the uninsured in America.

6 foot Tall and Bullet Prof Group: These people are mostly males 21 to 31 years old. They are either newly married, or just coming off of their parents insurance plan, and do not see health insurance or Life insurance for that matter as a priority in their life. They think, "Nothing is ever going to happen to me, I will never get sick."

Self Insuring group: Most of this group is 32 to 50 year old and mostly farmers and Ranchers. They can afford the premium, but just elect not to pay the premium. This group does a good job of taking care of themselves as far as doctor visits and minor stuff that comes up. But then when the big one hits, they find that they need insurance and then can not get it. The big one being, heat trouble, cancer, diabetes, and other things that deny coverage. You would not believe the people that call me that are in this age group that tell me, I have not had coverage in 10 years or so, but now I need it because I have been diagnosed with something. This is kinda like shutting the gate after the cows get out.

Oh One of These Days I will Check Into That group: This group is actually eligible for some type of coverage, such as Medicare or Medicaid, but either do not know it or just do not check into getting enrolled. I do not know how many times we have had the conversation with someone: "Mr Smith did you know that you are eligible for Medicare?" Mr. Smith: "Oh yeah I have been told that, but I am so busy, I just have not had time to check into it." WHAT??? You are eligible for a plan that helps pay your doctor and hospital bills, and can get a supplement to pay 100% of what that plan does not pay, and you have not taken the time to check into it, UGGG.

I Can Not Afford Group: There is this group, that just can not afford health insurance,their job does not offer it, and they can not afford to get it. This is sad, and we need to do something to help this group.

So here it is a Part of my "bill" understand that this does not probably cover all that needs to be done, but maybe it would help some:

Common Sense Health Reform Bill 1:
1) Premiums: We must get premiums down and stop them from rising so fast. One thing is we must stop the fraud with claims. Especially in the Medicare program. Example: We have a client that before he went on Medicare he was getting a shot by the doctor each month for his condition. He had NO insurance, the doctor was charging like $150.00 for this shot. When he went on Medicare the doctor charged Medicare Part B, like, $1,500. This is crazy! To get premiums down the medical Field and the insurance companies must come together and come to some type of agreement on procedures and payments. No more over charging and no more cutting payments back. Also in this part of the bill there must be a provision where there is some type of limitation on doctors being sued. This way maybe we can cut back on doubling up of tests. Insurance companies should have to give at least a two year rate guarantee, then be limited on the percentage that they can go up after that. This part still needs some thought and work, but can be accomplished.

2) Enrollment Period: After the above is accomplished, lets give everyone the opportunity to get insured. Starting January 1 of given year, till June1, of same year there will be an OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD. During this Open Enrollment Period, anyone regardless of health condition may choose a plan and an insurance company and be insured. The insurance company must take each applicant with NO riders, NO waivers NO waiting periods, NO preexisting conditions. At this time any existing riders, waivers and waiting periods or preexisting conditions will come off of all existing policies. This is where I disagree with the reform bill. It is not fair to the insurance company for someone to never pay a premium, and then when they have a problem expect to get coverage at that time, and expect the insurance company to pay out many high claims, when there has been no premiums payed to the insurance company. We must realize that these insurance companies are in business to make money, not to lose money. So under my plan, you would have 6 months to get insurance regardless of health. If you do not take advantage of that 6 month period, then you can apply later but will be subject to be declined. Maybe we have this Open Enrollment every two years or so.

3) Right to Shop: If you have a plan that you have kept for 2 years, and decide that you want to change companies for what ever reason, as long as you have had that creditable coverage you may change and the new insurance company that you are going to has take you regardless of health. NO riders, NO waivers, NO preexisting.

4) Medicare: Fraud is killing Medicare. We must get rid of it. Part 1 of my bill will hopefully address part of this. Medicare should reward preventative care for our Seniors, some preventative tests are not payed by Medicare each year, this should change. We would do away with Medicare Advantage, there is NO advantage of being on one of these plans, and it would save our government LOTS of money. Prescription Drug plan would change to the following:
1) NO MORE donut hole or Gap in coverage.
2) Able to change plans in middle of year if needed, No more having special enrollment periods and being locked out if not enrolled, no more penalties for not enrolling.
3) Standardize co-pays: Generics $7.00 Brand $25.00 Specialty drugs 25% coinsurance: Insurance companies can still set premiums, but would be regulated and would have guarantees for 2 year periods.
4) Pharmaceutical companies must lower cost of prescriptions. We have a client who takes a pill that cost for a 30 day supply around $1,000. This is outrageous. We must find away to lower cost of these prescriptions.

This is the basics to my bill, it is not complete, but it is a start. I have sent some of these ideas to Senators and Congressmen in Washington, probably will have not effect, but who knows. Please continue to pray for our country and for this bill. Only God can change all of this. I truly believe that this bill would be the biggest effect on our country. Please continue to pray that God gives us all wisdom to make good choices.

I'm Only A Bill

I usually do not get Political, in fact I have always said that I am not sure what side of the political side I would be on. I have always thought that Democrats had some good ideas about how to better our country, as well has Republicans have good ideas about how to better our country. If we could just get the two sides to come together and work for us the people, then things would be a lot better off. I most likely lean towards being conservative in most issues. So don't think that I am taking a side on Health Reform, just because I am Republican or Democrat.
As most of you should know, unless you have been living under a rock there is a bill in Washington that's intent is to Reform our health insurance in this country. There are actually two bills, one in the Senate and one in the House. The House bill is somewhat over 1,000 pages and the Senate bill is 615 pages. The thing that I find crazy about both of these bill's is that our elected officials, the ones that we voted into office to look out for our interest, have not even read either bill, but yet were ready to vote on health reform by August 1st. That, thank goodness has been put off.


I am reminded of the song and cartoon on Saturday mornings that I watched when I was a kid, called "I am only a Bill." I showed us what a Bill goes through before it becomes law. Remember the song? "I am only a bill, and I'm sitting here on Capital hill......." something like that. If my memory serves me right, I think that song and cartoon showed us that the ones that were voting on that bill actually READ the bill before voting it into law. The following is the link to the school house Rock song. http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ

Maybe our elected officials have not read this bill, but I have. Well not every sentence of it, but I have read a big portion of it and i am still studying it and trying to figure out some of the things that it says, and I have come to some conclusions.

I should say that I want to thank Lauri Beck President of Insurance Network of America for sending me a copy of both of these bills. Also thanks to Al Socher President of Old Surety Life for his insight on these bills and what it would do to our country and our freedom.

One of the things that is great about our country is our freedom. If you listen to the media, most being on the side of the Obama administration, but even the conservative side like fox news. They talk about how much this bill will cost us, and I agree with that, but one thing that jumps out to me is, our freedom is being taken away from us. One thing about health insurance, we all have the freedom to chose what we want, and who we want it with. If my premium gets too high, I shop for another policy that gives me the same coverage or more for less premium. If I decide to upgrade my policy I can do that, or if I decide to downgrade my policy I can do that as well.

Reading the 1,000 page House bill you do not have to get very far before you realize that our freedom to shop for health insurance will be taken away.

Obama keeps saying if you like what you have you can keep it. Makes you think that you can keep what you have and continue to choose private health insurance right? Think again.

Page 16 of the House bill there is a provision making INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE MEDICAL INSURANCE ILLEGAL! Yes this provision would make Individual Private Insurance Illegal, under the heading of the bill called " Protecting The Choice To Keep Current Coverage," "Limitation On New Enrollment."


This section states, and I quote straight from the House bill:

"Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day, of the year the legislation becomes law."


So we can all keep our coverage, just as promised, with of course, exceptions: Those who currently have private individual coverage will not be able to change it. Nor will those who leave a company to work for themselves be free to buy individual plans from private carriers.

From the beginning opponents of the public option plan have warned that if the government gets into the business of offering subsidized health insurance coverage, the private insurance market will wither away. Companies and businesses that offer YOU group insurance will be drawn to the public option to save them money. Therefore they will put you on the public option, you will NOT have a choice, and you will NOT be able, (because of the provision above) to go out and buy from the private sector. This in turn will start putting private insurance companies out of business. When companies go out of business, we get layoffs. This in turn will make our unemployment rate go through the roof.

This reason among many is why I do not think that a private, government run insurance plan would be good for our country.

Most people in America will be FORCED, into this private government run plan. Why would we think that the government would be able to run an insurance plan. Oh wait, they already do its called Medicare and Medicaid, which are going broke!

Several weeks ago President Obama was at a town hall meeting. A lady asked him a question about her 104 year old mother. The answer was scary! This lady's mother needed a pacemaker to live, yes she is 104 years old. One doctor that she went to said, "I will not put the pacemaker in, she is too old." The second doctor that they went too said, "yes I will put in the pacemaker." The reason, well he took into consideration that this 104 year old woman still had a lot of will to live, she fully understood what she was facing, she was full of life, and was not ready yet to give up. The daughter of this 104 year old woman, asked our President, remember we live in America, we are FREE right, this was not the leader of Korea that this question was being asked, this was not the leader of Iraq that this question was asked, this was being asked of the President of the United States of America, the land of the FREE. She asked, "if my mother would have been on the government run insurance at the time she needed this pacemaker, would she have gotten it, under the government plan?" The answer was telling. Basically our President, the one that is President of America, the land of the FREE, said in so many words, she probably would not have gotten the pacemaker. Does this not tell you something about government run health insurance?

My dad takes cancer treatments every so many months, he is 79 years old, if he is put onto the government plan, those cancer treatments will most likely end. Under the government run plan, President Obama and his admisistraiton will decide who gets treatments, who gets surgeries. The choice and freedom will be taken out of your hands and out of your doctors hands and put into the government hands. I can not believe that in the United States, that a question like the one above would have to be asked. "Will you let me live, or will you let me die, Mr. President?

I should say this, and I know that this is getting long. I do agree with our President, we need to reform health insurance in some ways, but a government run option is NOT the way to do that. Why not figure out what works with our current system and do not fix what is not broken, and figure out what does not work and fix that? I belive that there are many out there that have great ideas on how to fix our health care, if we could just get our gonvenment to listen to us. Understand as well that people come to this country for our health care system, so it must not be that bad.

Since this is getting really long, I will cut it off for now. In a few days, I will post my "bill "on Health Care Reform.

I do belive that God is in control, and I pray every day for our country and for our leaders. I ask you to please write your Represenatives, and remember the Republicans are NOT for this goverment run program, we must reach those who are for this program and change their minds, most are Democrats. Pray for our country and for our leaders and for this bill. As the song states, "I am Only A Bill." That is true for now, we must not let this "Bill" become law.

More later to come.

Vacation

We got back from vacation on Tuesday night. We had been gone for about a week to Missouri. We wanted to go some where different, some where we had not been before, so we chose to go up around Kansas City. We took the kids to a park kinda like Six Flags. Dylan rode his first big roller coaster. He rode it with Kyla, she is the queen of roller coasters. He would not get on the REALLY BIG one with her, so she rode it by herself. I am not a fan of roller coasters or of theme parks, they charged me $10.00 just to park!, but the kids really had fun and that is what it is about.

We spent a lot of good time together as a family and got away from pressures of work and just every day stuff. It is hard to believe that Kyla will be a Freshman, we only have 4 more years with her, so these times away with just the family are important. I know that the next 4 years will fly by. I asked her if she was going to leave me in 4 years, she said, "yes but I will come back and visit, and you will always be my daddy." That day will be hard on me.

Our summer has been busy, Kyla has played a lot of basketball, seems like every weekend we were going somewhere to watch her play. Then all during the month of June she played on Tuesday and Thursday's in Littlefeild with the Naz. girls. I am hoping that it will slow down for us for a while. Kyla will go to Church camp in a couple of weeks and be gone for a week. Cheryl and I are not going this year, we have had so much going on we had to cut some things out. QMCC with temps. over 100 was at the top of my list to cut.

Its hard to get back into the grove of things after a vacation. Our business is going very good. We are very blessed. I am not sure what will happen if Obama gets his government run health care passed. I keep telling myself that God is in control. Looking at what is proposed by the Obama administration, government run health care would not be good for anyone. Many think that this would not effect them, but it will. In recent days I have sent e-mails and letters to congressmen, urging them to look outside of the box when it comes to health care. Our current system needs help, but lets fix what does not work, and leave what does work alone. I strongly believe that government run health care will force many out of jobs, and make our unemployment go up to numbers that we have never seen before. We all need to take a stand, and let our Representatives know how we feel. Obama keeps saying that if you like what you have that you will be able to keep it. Trust me that will not be the case, business's will go to the government run health care to save money, and force employees to take that option, regardless of what is best for you. This in turn will put insurance companies out of business, therefore layoffs and people out of jobs.
Did not mean for this post to be political, but please pray for our country and for what is before the congress.
One other thing that is going on, my eyes have really been bothering me lately. So I made an appointment with our eye doctor. He told me I needed bifocals. I thought only people over 60 wore bifocals. I am going to try contacts for a while and see if I like them. I hope that they help my see better, things have been a bit blurry at times and hard to focus on. I guess I am just getting old!
Hope that you all have a blessed day and week!