Monday, August 27, 2012

Keeping The Myth Alive.


Roberto Matta.

Today the weather has been pleasant, blue skies with fluffy clouds drifting by, a nice day especially after the torrential rain at the week end.

This afternoon Mathilde, my physiotherapist came by for a session of exercises as well as massage, at the end of which I felt good.

Being able to have the physiotherapist make home visits has been excellent for me; the sessions take away a lot of tension in my arms and shoulders.

Usually I sleep much better on Monday and Thursday night, both days when Mathilde comes here.

Every year our health insurers remove items that we can get without paying anything extra, which is very irritating seeing as we pay a large premium every month.

The other thing that Agis is constantly trying to restrict is how much physiotherapy everybody can have, luckily at the moment I don't have a limit because I have a chronic progressive disease.

It is 10 years ago now, that health insurance became another commodity to make profits on, so we went from a very efficient system to one that puts money first.

Previously premiums every month were very low; something like €30 per month now it is nearly €200 per month which is a hell of an increase.

That's what happens when markets get liberalised, which just means that everything gets deregulated and it becomes a free for all.

I think it is a revolting thought that it is considered acceptable to make money from the health services, such as hospitals.

Hospitals are there to care for people and are not profit-making, something politicians both here in the Netherlands as well as in England keep forgetting.

The other thing they seem to be forgetting is that people's health is of the utmost importance, is not a commodity it is something that is fundamentally important for the health of the country.

On 12th of September there will be new elections here in the Netherlands, I wonder what result this musical chairs will achieve and whether it will have a positive impact on everybody's lives, I doubt it very much.

The only purpose that elections serve is to keep the myth alive, that we live in a free democratic society where all have a say, if only.

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