American Maggie

When I was first asked to write an article about current political issues from a conservative woman’s point of view I initially had no clue where to start.  The lack of a notion quickly became a flashing road sign as we moved into the summer months and the healthcare debate reached fever pitch.

We have a tendency to argue about what is wrong with our healthcare system, if it can be called that, and leave some larger, more fundamental issues unaddressed.  I approach this debate from a different angle, namely, to relate my experience with a pretty effective system albeit contained within a somewhat undefined, occasionally ineffective larger system.  One need look no further than the model of the non-profit Children’s Hospital network and the Shriner’s Hospital system, to find a process that is focused on delivering the best care to all of its patients, even those of even meager means.

Look, like many of you, I am a mother before I am anything else.  The health and well-being of my children comes first and nothing will stand in my way of obtaining the best I can for my children. As a capitalist, I’m a fan of profit-driven healthcare.  No problem; provide a service I need or want and I will pay you.  However, as a mother, I don’t want to sacrifice access to care just because I may not have the money.  A free society like ours addresses this real problem with the non-profit sector in several industries, including healthcare. These entities rise up not because of government incentive or mandate but because of a need coupled with the willingness of individuals to provide their hard-earned money to support such ventures.  Just because it is non-profit doesn’t make it non-capitalist.  It’s about a concept of mutual, free, and fair exchange.  The Children’s Hospital system stands out as one of the finest examples of this natural cousin of profit-driven capitalism.  I found this out firsthand when my son, now 17, contracted an e coli infection when he was two years old.

Shortly after his infection, my son experienced kidney and heart failure.  I cannot tell you how hard it was to watch him be placed in a life flight helicopter and flown to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas.  The feeling of helplessness and hope compete for equal footing in that pit of your stomach and in your heart.  Upon arrival in Little Rock, he was immediately taken to surgery where a dialysis tube was put into a kidney through his stomach.  Three days later, still in ICU, my precious baby boy’s heart began to fail.  He was immediately put into a drug induced coma.  That is where he stayed for four weeks.  He endured four blood tranfusions, countless tubes in his little body, including three in his nose.  He was given so much medicine that his skin began to peel like a bad sunburn.  Twelve doctors and countless nurses watched over him day and night.  Some of these nurses were from foreign countries and had agreed to come and work in the United States for a number of years in order to gain U.S. citizenship.  Black, white, domestic, and foreign these professionals poured their expertise, care, and passion into saving my son’s life and health. Finally, after several days of traumatic waiting and praying, his heart began to work again and his kidneys began to function on their own.   The hospital subsequently moved him to a private room where he recovered for two more weeks.  My boy was a miracle and still is to this day.  Here is on the reasons why:

The doctors told me that had my son been in a different part of the country at the time he would have surely died. The Children’s Hospital System (specifically, the Little Rock Children’s hospital facility) was the only hospital with practical experience in dealing with life threatening bacterial infections.  These doctors and nurses were the best in the business.  Having the highest of degrees and having reached the pinnacle of their professions.   One cannot claim, because it doesn’t exist, a better standard of dedication and care than we have in the UNITED STATES with the Children’s Hospital system and the Shriner’s facilities.

The cost for my son’s treatment reached well over six figures.  Luckily, I had insurance when this tragedy struck.  But before you say, “Aha, what about those without insurance?”  read closely because you will find this in no other place but America.  Even without insurance, I would have owed not a single dime and his care would have been equally impressive.  I know because I saw other children in similar situations that did not have insurance.  This care was all made possible by those of us with the ability to pay combined with the generosity of hard working Americans who will always help others.  We are a nation of willing payers and willing givers.  It is not anymore complex than that.  Capitalism coupled with the decency and generosity that freedom breeds saved my son’s life.  I am eternally grateful for the people involved and the system that made it possible.

Imagine if our Government were to ease or cease its arbitrary confiscation of our income under the premise that central planners and bureaucrats are able to provide better assistance to the downtrodden and poor.  Imagine what we could do as a society where we have the knowledge that it’s up to us to help and have more ability to do so.  Every major city could have a Children’s Hospital system or their reach could be expanded exponentially.  Every uninsured person would have state of the art healthcare provided by the American people on their own free will.  Politicians love to tout the decency of the American people but then strip them of their ability to spend their own money voluntarily on decent endeavors.  Perhaps these elitists don’t believe their own rhetoric or, more probably, are afraid of losing control.  That pesky liberty thing is not conducive to big government charity.

I urge people to take a look at these hospitals and donate when you can. They do great work and I am thankful for them and their benefactors.  Write your elected leaders and keep the pressure on to maintain our freedom to access the best care in the world.  There are ways to improve our healthcare system but none of them require Americans to give up choice or freedom to accomplish those ends.  America can do better than forced government healthcare.  My family is living proof of that.

Audra Shay currently serves as Chair of the Young Republican National Federation.