Change is Good

One thing is glossed over in regards to the ebola story.  It's how the initial response in Texas and New Jersey is reminiscent to the old way we did healthcare in this country.  The way these problems were eventually taken care of is reminiscent of the changes made through the Affordable Care Act, changes made for the overall good of the country.

The problem with healthcare in the USA prior to President Obama wasn't quality.  It has always been the world's best health care.  The problem came down to accessibility, profit being the number one priority and not looking at health care as something for the betterment of all, instead, just focusing on the patients who could afford it.

In Texas, a general apathy to immigrant and poorer patients, established protocol geared towards getting people out of the hospital quickly, lack of training, lack of proper equipment and staff, and an overall mentality to do things the cheapest way possible when dealing with a "non-profitable' medical crisis led to two healthcare workers getting sick, in addition to the original patient.  They are very lucky it was only two.  Thanks to the federal government, and their non-profit protocols, a major crisis was averted.

In New Jersey, ignorance over science and proven effective protocol, in addition to a Governor who wanted to prove the ACA was bad and self promote, led to a nurse, who didn't have ebola, being harassed for hours, getting quarantined in a parking lot, in a tent, with no heat, shower or toilet.  It was only when she hired a civil rights lawyer did Governor Christie abandon his heavy handed, ignorant, unwarranted attempt at looking Presidential.  By creating a fear just so he could quell it, Christie ended up exposing New Jersey to something far more dangerous for it's citizens than ebola, a civil rights lawsuit which they would have never had a chance of winning.

In both cases, the federal government, under the leadership of the President, came in and cleaned up the mess.

What these two cases should remind us of is how lucky we are to have Obamacare, because I surely never want to go back to where we were prior to it being enacted.