Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Maine were to lead the way in providing health care coverage for all citizens? As the “greatest country in the world,” as our legislators so often extol, it seems to me there should be recognition that health care is not a privilege but a right.

That this country continues to allow this most basic of rights to be controlled by for-profit companies is reprehensible. There are 150,000 people with little or no insurance. Outrageous! What happens to men and women who are working at minimum wage jobs with no benefits package? They are the working poor. They are out of luck in this great country of ours.

I was recently approved for Social Security disability. I raised my children in this state. I volunteered at my children’s school while a stay at home mom. I returned to work as a nurse in a substance abuse facility in 1988 and continued in the field until 2001. I paid property, income and sales taxes. Because I worked, I am ineligible for Medicaid and will not be eligible for Medicare for two years. My fervent hope is that I’ll be able to return to work before then, but in the meantime, my basic medical care is $716 a month and my medication expense is $628 a month. I receive $878 a month from Social Security. What’s wrong with this picture?

I worked and contributed and I hope to return to my profession in the future, but what am I supposed to do in the meantime? This is the reality for many disabled people. And before anyone starts disparaging disabled people as using the system, please bear in mind that being approved for SSDI is a long, arduous process where claims are scrutinized over and over again. Furthermore, disability coverage is earned through mandated contribution of earnings into Social Security.

One of the jobs I had while working was utilization review. My job was to get approval from insurance companies for our patients’ treatment. Patients were repeatedly denied coverage for substance abuse treatment in spite of the fact that treating one family member with a substance abuse problem reduces healthcare costs for the entire family. Based upon my experience, I’m convinced that insurers are most concerned with short-term profits and shareholder dividends, not providing quality health care.

Karen Girard lives in Presque Isle.