Why Draw Lots For Health Care?

A provocative headline "Drawing Lots for Health Care" in the NY Times (p. A12 03/13/2008) leads the reader into a depressing description of the woes of uninsured Oregonians, whose number and plight have been worsened by our recession. My quick check of Kaiser Foundation's state health statistics site (http://statehealthfacts.org/) showed no great disparity between the demographics and insurance status of Oregonians and other state residents, although historically (going back to the 1980s, there were notable differences, including a rapidly aging population and a lack of industry which retained young insurable individuals in Oregon). The NY Times article noted that Oregon's health insurance lottery ". . . is intended for low-income adults who lack private insurance and do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare." Oregon's budget cuts have reduced the number of people served from about 100,000 four years ago to about 17,000 now.

Perhaps I am unrealistic, but I consider it unethical to provide insured health care only to the few who are fortunate enough to win a state lottery. Oregon and Oregonians are victims of an economic cycle which was caused by failure of the federal government to responsibly tax and spend. Our government has been radical in its abandonment of sensible economic policies. Oregonians are the canaries in the coal mines: their distress is a clear indicator that it is time for the United States to take responsibility for providing an ethical and moral system of care for all of its residents. Profits of the military-industrial complex must yield to the basic need of Americans for health care.