Caution Privilege at Work

Last week in Florida, two young women dressed up as older women in order to obtain a COVID vaccine.  After a stern tongue lashing, they were sent on their way.

Across the nation there is frustration with vaccine supply and distribution. I have felt some of that frustration as I (impatiently) wait my turn. We Americans tend to want what we want when we want it. We can be pretty annoyed when the wind doesn’t blow our way.

As I was kvetching to myself, it occurred to me that this is purely a function of privilege. In every other health circumstance I am able to access the care I need and pay the co-pays on my prescriptions. I do not have to wait inordinate amounts of time to get an appointment. I am free to choose the providers I want. I do not have to rely on public transportation to get to my appointments. It is all a function of privilege.

Many people of color and poor people regardless of their skin color have no such luxury. They are often unable to access care when they need it. Paying for prescriptions is a luxury many cannot afford. This puts them at risk for poor management of the condition(s) for which the medications were prescribed. Poorer health outcomes among the poor is pretty much a given. Relying on public transportation adds another layer of complexity in accessing the health care system. This is the experience of far too many people in the United States today. Every. Damn. Day.

When it comes to COVID, people of color and the working poor account for a higher number of infections and have higher mortality rates.  This group often comprises front line and essential workers who do not have the option of working from home.

And then we come back to waiting our turn. When annoyance and impatience are front and center, it’s an invitation have a little patience and humility. As hard as this may be to comprehend, we are not the center of the universe. Sorry to bring up a touchy subject.

It’s also a reminder that this country is still in desperate need of health care reform. The Affordable Care Act was a great first step, but it does not go far enough. Until there is equal access and equal care for all people, the system is still broken. As long as the health insurance companies and big pharma can realize huge profits for their shareholders at the expense (literally) of the people who rely on their services, the system is broken.

To one degree or another, the system works for most of us. It takes away some of the urgency we might otherwise feel to advocate for equal access and equal care. We are sheltered in our privilege with only an occasional glance at what the health care system is like for so many. Every. Damn. Day.

It’s easy to get stuck in feelings of powerlessness when it comes to taking on such a huge issue. Using our voices and the power of the pen is a place to start. Advocate comes from the Latin word advocare which literally means to amplify. The function of advocating is to amplify the voices of those whose voices are not heard as well as those who have no voice. We tend to forget that we have tremendous power when we join with similarly minded folks. Bringing political pressure on elected public servants is one way, and perhaps the most important way of advocating for ongoing health care reform.

While we are waiting our turn, we can use the time to send letters to our elected public servants and get health care reform back front and center in the political consciousness.