Oklahoma Ranks DEAD Last in Health Care!!

[Midtowner]

JESUS is my health insurance.

[solitude]

So, Oklahoma is #47 in overall health.

okclee, what do you want our state's health care system to do to make Oklahoma healthier?

Come on okclee. Don't you know the only money well-spent by the government (at any level) is when it hands out dollars to millionaire owners of professional sports teams? Universal health care in Oklahoma? Forget about it. We have to take care of the good old boys, and they all have very good health insurance.
</sarcasm>

I agree with okclee's sentiment that too many people here put on blinders and blame the messenger, make excuses, talk around the topic, rather than DARE admit that Oklahoma has anything wrong that needs attention. The government, (the sentiment seems to be), should butt out, unless its needed to help fund arenas, practice facilities or whatever for the thuggy NBA; or government giveaway programs........ (I'm sorry --- incentives)............. to rich businessmen so they can take advantage of our underpaid/cheap workforce or build something downtown that doesn't even belong to the people, but to private individuals who pocket all the profits. Wake up, okclee! Get with the program!

[bretthexum]

LOL... never thought of it that way. Lets shell out a few hundred million for the new NBA team, but screw the people need health care... they shouldn't be so lazy.

[BFizzy]

Come on okclee. Don't you know the only money well-spent by the government (at any level) is when it hands out dollars to millionaire owners of professional sports teams? Universal health care in Oklahoma? Forget about it. We have to take care of the good old boys, and they all have very good health insurance.
</sarcasm>

I agree with okclee's sentiment that too many people here put on blinders and blame the messenger, make excuses, talk around the topic, rather than DARE admit that Oklahoma has anything wrong that needs attention. The government, (the sentiment seems to be), should butt out, unless its needed to help fund arenas, practice facilities or whatever for the thuggy NBA; or government giveaway programs........ (I'm sorry --- incentives)............. to rich businessmen so they can take advantage of our underpaid/cheap workforce or build something downtown that doesn't even belong to the people, but to private individuals who pocket all the profits. Wake up, okclee! Get with the program!

All I did was ask what our state should do to make Oklahoma healthier. I didn't say anything about the "thuggy NBA" (whatever that means). I've read all the complaints, so what are your solutions?

[jbrown84]

It's quite possible to see the need for change and still recognize that many of these studies ARE biased. The article even points out changes that have been made in the last year that for whatever reason were ignored by the study.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

JESUS is my health insurance.

No wonder you're #47.

[oneforone]

Top Five Reasons are country's health care system in crisis:

1. Too many people making babies that do not/barely have the means to support themselves.

2. Very few people know basic first aid and know how to treat minor ailments.

3. People are not as active as they used to be.

4. People eat too much crap food.

5. People consume too much alcohol and tobacco.

Take care of those problems and I guarantee you the health system will make a recovery in as little as 5-10 years.

[PennyQuilts]

Oneforone - if you ask me, you're on the right track.

I read an article a couple of years ago that made the argument that if people lost weight, exercised and took care of themselves, the "health crisis" in this country would rapidly become manageable. It pointed out, sensibly, to my way of thinking, how obesity, lack of exercise and poor eating habits have contributed to diabetes, hypertension, etc.

It irks me when people complain that doctors are "insensitive" when they point out that their patients are FAT. People also complain about employers who try to get their employees to lose weight. All those fat people are driving up my insurance premiums. When I see fat children, I feel so sorry for them. What are their parents thinking? Their weight is going to negatively impact them in every area of their lives. And don't talk to me about hyper or hypo glands and metabolism. Until you have tried, over a sustained time, to exercise and diet sensibly, don't bring in an underlying health condition (that plenty of lean people share) as an excuse.

All that being said, I am glad I am not raising children in this era of video games. I know it is sometimes hard to get the kids to get off their butts and go make friends. As a parent, it needs to be a priority. When I see really fat people out exercising and looking ridiculous I admire the hell out of them. I need to do the same thing but, instead, I am sitting around waiting until I am really disgusting instead of just grossly out of shape. I am as bad as everyone else.

Remember when there was only one or two fat kids in school? Remember when being fat was something we wanted to avoid? When did that change? I can understand being middle aged and hefty but kids? Poor things.