Another Healthcare Reform Option: Men's Health

Health care reform is getting more and more serious. Stakeholders have decided that two trillion dollars in savings sounds like a nice round number to offer by reducing the increase in health care costs. There is still debate about Obama's public plan option. My work entails finalizing our Medicare bid which will set our 2010 plans already.

Given all the work and seriousness that is going on, it's nice to know that some Congressman are not being serious. Thanks to The Onion for this piece from American Voices:

Reps. Barron Hill (D-IN) and Tim Murphy (R-PA) introduced legislation that would create an Office of Men's Health within the Department of Health and Human Services. What do you think?

Michael Chodat,
Systems Analyst
“Health is for women and children. I plan to live with chronic pain and die early of an easily preventable ailment, just like my father and grandfather before me.”

Jim Summers,
Medical Technologist
“I don’t understand. I’ve already taken a hunter-safety course and my father showed me how to use a circular saw back in grade school. What other health issues does a man even have to worry about?”

This is satire of course but these two quotes are a really accurate description of men's health or the lack there of. One doctor that I had told me that there was no need for him to see me until I turned 40 (he assured me by then that I would start to fall apart). When we do think of men's health, we think of magazine like Maxim with articles called, "How to lose your beer belly". Solution: Wear a big sweater! Now go out, hit the bars, and get laid tiger!

At least, I hope that the two congressman were not serious . . . . .