I had an interesting conversation today about healthcare. One of the people talked about a scare she had with a bill from last August. She was out of town visiting old friends when she needed to see a doctor. She went back to her former doctor, and she gave the office all her updated information including her new healthcare coverage.

But she received a large bill that stated that the insurance company had denied the claim. After some research she discovered that they had run it through her former coverage. After months of back and forth she got it straightened out and received a final bill of $20.00. She was excited because she “could pay an medical fee without worrying about the amount.”

That she had to pay a medical bill surprised some of the Job Corps members. They do not have to cover medical bills. Their medical coverage is part of the treaty agreements provided by the federal government.

I do not consider it free. It was part of an agreement in giving up other rights. It is not always considered quality care. In fact, many times more difficult cases must be sent to other hospitals for further care. And if a native gets sick or injured away from the reservations they can run into issues and may get stuck with a bill.

Healthcare from the government and from the free market both have their issues. It is not a simple topic in either case. I think we can do better. God calls for us to love one another. Just like God does.