If you live long enough

...you can eventually get Medicare. Mine kicks in today. It would be nice to believe that I will never need it, but probability says one of these days, I will. I am grateful it may be there for me, and I know it covers plenty of legitimate medical expenses, but on the flip side, I think Medicare is one of many good ideas gone bad, partly bad at least. No doubt as soon as it was in place, there were dishonorable people figuring out how to take advantage of it. It quickly became a system riddled by fraud and abuse, sad to say. As a nurse I see all kinds of people, and I have noticed that a fairly good percentage want anything and everything they can get for free whether it is a medical test or an extra cookie and then show no appreciation. I am clueing in to the idea that dependency begets dependency, and perhaps dependency on Uncle Sam for providing us "healthcare" as we get older takes away some of our responsibility for caring for ourselves. At work we were collecting school supplies for disadvantaged children. A few years ago I would have jumped at the chance to pitch in but this time I gave it more thought. Will it foster dependency and take away initiative? Starting Medicare is good news to me; it's an American milestone and a privilege. I hope to use it with responsibility and gratitude.