As promised, I would like to share my thoughts on the important question:  Is treatment for multiple myeloma a privilege or a right?

After reading some of the comments and emails following my column about battling my health insurance company ^[1], it is clear that a number of readers strongly feel that treatment for multiple myeloma—or any type of health care, for that matter—is definitely not a right.

Although my opinion differs, I shouldn’t be surprised by this.  Support for free market principles runs deep in this country.  A large, vocal minority of Americans view government intervention and regulation in general—but especially when it relates to health care—as morally wrong.

The proof is the visceral hatred of the federal government’s new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which has come to be known as “ObamaCare.”

Few will argue this new legislation is perfect.  I certainly won’t.  But there are a number of provisions in the bill that directly help multiple myeloma patients.

I have a good friend who is an outspoken conservative and free market advocate.  He also has multiple myeloma.  I have noticed he has significantly softened his stance in recent years, especially where money for federal cancer research or patient aid are concerned.

To me, this makes sense.  I support any help that I or my fellow myeloma patients can get!  For me, assistance for my multiple myeloma brothers and sisters has become a top priority—philosophical principles be damned!

But you can bet not everyone shares my conviction about this.

I began to write about the philosophical opposition to too much government help or involvement. But since I don’t agree with this position, who am I to try and articulate how someone else feels?  I’m hoping some of you will share how and why you feel the way you do.

I understand why someone would be concerned about the government spending too much money or intruding on their lives.  What I don’t understand is who gets to decide what is too much, or when government has gone too far.

You see, I don’t care!  I am more concerned about my friends than I am about abstract political philosophy.  I want more money (a lot more!) to be spent by the federal government on cancer research.  I want uninsured or underinsured cancer patients to have access to life-saving care.

I don’t care if it adds to the federal budget deficit, or if it isn’t philosophically the right thing to do.  I’m one of those guys who would argue, “Compared to the huge amounts we spend on the military or other entitlements, increasing funding for these things is just a monetary drop in the bucket.”  Just like many don’t trust the government to provide help efficiently and judiciously, I don’t trust the drug companies to do the same.

Now don’t get me wrong—I have a number of great, dear friends who work in the pharmaceutical industry.  And considering I have already outlived my median life expectancy, there is no doubt in my mind that using Revlimid ^[2] (lenalidomide) and Velcade ^[3] (bortezomib) have helped save my life.

But I believe getting rid of regulations that protect me and my fellow patients, and/or allowing the free market to police itself, is a bad idea.  Sort of like letting the fox watch over the hen house.

And I also believe that relying on the charity of neighbors and friends is less efficient than allowing government to provide a safety net for underinsured or uninsured multiple myeloma patients.

I would argue that providing treatment for multiple myeloma patients is both a privilege and a right.  Our health care system in this country is pretty darn good—as long as nothing goes wrong—and you can afford insurance or the care you need.

Like anything else, I believe our system can be improved.  Our system of government isn’t a religion.  It’s a tool to help improve the quality of life for all Americans.

Just another reason I would like to see much more compromise among legislators—not less—as we continue to work through the demographic and economic challenges we face ahead.

In the meantime, sharing information and helping our fellow multiple myeloma patients any way we can should be a top priority.  Because working with our system is the best option we have—at least for now.

Feel good and keep smiling!  Pat