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Peginterferon-Ribavirin, Failed it twice. Incivek, Failed it. Sovaldi Olysio, failed it. Harvoni, failed it... Transplant Patient Zepatier and Sovaldi...we'll find out!

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Berning Up

Bernie Sanders is an amazing candidate trying to uphold his ideals against the establishment. He doesn't play political games and he talks only about the issues.

Wait, sorry I messed that up.

Oh wait,
no I didn't, he messed that up.

This is why I found him appealing as a candidate. That his idealistic solutions had tangible form which will usher in an era of liberalism within government.
This is what I felt walking away from rallies.


But more recently, Bernie released details of his healthcare plan. Which sounds like a wonderful plan.

But let's really start to give a shit for a second and think about how actually impossible everything he wants to do is.

Of all the candidates Bernie will face the most opposition. Why? Because without the Millennial vote in tow his political power is moot.

"That's not true! Older people vote for Bernie!"
Sure, but by worse margins than the numbers of millennials who support Clinton.

Democrats: 77%-12% Bernie doesn't exactly hold the torch of millennial voting. As for Clinton among Democrats: 65%-30% isn't that far away.

While Independents and unaffiliated can vote in the Democratic primary, the purpose of super-delegates serves as a political counterweight to those votes. Which basically affords us a lovely moral for the whole family: Rigging a political game is only "cheating" when you're not winning.

If the political opposition is so terrible to work with that their own speaker resigns, Sanders will be handcuffed politically. But I haven't said anything we all already didn't know.

Before I flew up to Sacramento, to speak in favor of an item on the budget proposal allocating funding for HCV testing statewide, I read something i couldn't believe. 

In talking with other advocates for HIV/AIDs and Viral Hepatitis, I was disappointed to find not a Bernie supporter among them.
When I returned home I took a closer look at his healthcare plan. And I realized why. Bernie Sanders is ever the idealist, and as such he doesn't consider the communities affected by his decisions. His plan requires multiple radical changes that if done would result in years of healthcare chaos, and if no one de-funds it, it still will be incredibly inflexible and result in patients dying waiting for treatment.

Sanders espouses Medicare for all, a single payer plan.
The type of plan that Sanders would likely install would be reminiscent of Canada.

His plan calls for a replacement of our existing insurance system to a single payer government insurance. But...Insurance companies no longer resemble the behemoths they did before the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Because of the ACA, many new insurers have grown out of medical groups and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). Local medical groups can offer better rates with a better focus on care and since the insurance companies are built into the hospital the overhead feeds the hospital as well. It's not ideal, but it's more responsive, compassionate an patient centered than ANY insurance system we have ever had public access to. It is an adaptation of Kaiser's model, and it works (better than it did previously).

Not understanding the transitional needs of patients between insurance agencies means sidelining prescription drugs, and medical appointments. Making for additional hurdles to the often kafka-esque nightmare that is transitioning between MediCal/Medicaid and any other insurance.

The politicking insanity of Sanders after Clinton's Nancy Reagan comment:


Keep in mind that Sanders' position on HIV/AIDS was not revealed until that gaffe, and it was done so intentionally alongside his own personal comments against Clinton. As previously mentioned, his/his staff's disrespect towards the HIV/AIDS coalition orgs shows his true colors, but regardless I held my breath waiting for May 25th to see what he would do.

The plan he presented in March (in conjunction with politically attacking Clinton after she tried to play to legitimizing her political experience as a FLOTUS by making some very embellished statements regarding Nancy Reagan's role in HIV/AIDS History ) remained the same after Sanders rescheduled meeting on the 25th.

And then he decided to re-package it...


He presents the same stances over and over again, and has demonstrated a general disrespect for the HIV/AIDS community.

Having Hepatitis C, with the liver damage I do...if I have one day without my prescription medications there is a high likelihood I will end up in a hospital. I know of many others with Hep C who are stuck waiting to get sick enough for treatment who would find themselves in even worse situations due to paperwork backlogs.

Millions of Americans have Viral Hepatitis, and thousands of them will die every year regardless of race, creed, political affiliation or income.

JK!

It's absurd how much it resembles a microcosm of the systemic problems within each community it affects.
Which is why it's so important to understand every perspective on these matters. The solutions in San Diego, or Compton, or Los Gatos will all be different.
Because fighting these diseases needs social and emotional support tools as much as it does medical, insurance and pharma reform.

The bottom-line is that saying he stands for people with Hepatitis and HIV/AIDs when he ignores our needs and listens to what he wants to hear is disrespectful, and to do so with such a nonchalant attitude... he doesn't stand for me and he doesn't understand that.


In a millennial homage to a questionable DNC nominee:


Outta matches, maybe I'd be better of with a tinder date
heart dropped, shame no profile for this candidate.
Are all he has group photos? It's so hard to pick him out.
He'd appeal to our grizzly population posing with a trout.
What is this insane lack of respect?
I'm off balance, out of checks.
Am i missing something, out of conned text.
No. Just really about the gender, the sex.
I thought he was supposed to be the last of the Silent Generation.
And there's hard turns up ahead but less for the white Caucasian.
I had the privilege of privilege but it is one voice within a crowd.
and we all deserve equal time on the mic, so quiet down.
not to be silent but to listen to others,
because that's what sets us apart, besides our mothers.
When it comes up not down to these perspectives
He should understand the model: Respect, Give.



I can no longer endorse Bernie Sanders.

#Berntout


You can follow some of the more absurd web antics of the clash between Bernie's newest conspiracy theories and HIV/AIDs activist Peter Staley 

Sanders is a weak idealistic candidate who has little consideration for the communities he represents.

His narrative is the big picture: (Democratic socialist) Idealistic structures that he has mentally concocted over his decades in government can be applied to fix real world issues.

He presents his narrative to communities he meets with and then tells them how it applies to them. He does not consider the perspectives of the communities he is engaging.

That's why I'm not voting for Ron Pau...I mean Bernie Sanders.