Health Insurance

I am having to pay for Health Insurance here in the US as it is simply not a good idea not to have some sort of coverage. A simple thing like going to the doctor can be very expensive. Months ago when I was applying for my drivers license here I had to have a medical and went to what I can only describe as a discount service and still had to pay US$70 for the privilege. My daughter arranged some basic emergency cover for me so that when I arrived I was covered in case of emergencies. I was informed by this company that their rates were going up and so my cover was increasing from US$176 a month to something like US$225 a month. So, I looked up health insurance on the web. Within 5 minutes I was getting phone calls from providers and brokers offering me all sorts of deals. They got my details from the web!

I started searching in the morning and was still getting calls in the evening from various agents and brokers. I eventually found a deal that provided me with basic cover (not just emergency cover) for a lot less than I was paying before. This was only because I had been in the country for more than 6 months. However, unless I get coverage through an employer, I cannot access many of the plans until I have been here for more than 12 months it seems. Makes you appreciate the systems in Aus and the UK, despite their obvious failings. Still, universal health cover is supposedly a priority of the new Obama Presidency.

On that note, love him or hate him, it says a great deal that this country has elected a black (well mixed race actually but lets not quibble) person as its president. When he was born, blacks could not use restaurants in some states in the south of this country. They had to get their food from the back door.
Mind you, I have seen all sorts of speculation that the Labour Party in the UK would not have allowed a black person to become Prime Minister. Before any Aussies reading this get on their high horses, I have seen similar articles about the Australian Labour Party as well.

It has also been amusing watching the fallout in the losing party, often centered around Sarah Palin. She has done a plethora of media interviews, including at home in her kitchen preparing moose burgers for her family. It seems that infighting occurs no matter what country you are in. Love her or hate her, she has given as good as she has received. I suspect we will be hearing more of her.