Mostly Cloudy / 36° FIt’s not too late to reform health care reform
Published 5:07pm Tuesday, January 5, 2010Dear editor:
I object to the Senate’s version of health care reform. It’s not because I’m selfish or hard-hearted. I am a realist. Regardless of the rosy predictions that this health care program will not add to the public debt, I’m convinced that it will. To believe that this health care program is deficit neutral, you must believe that Congress can and will take almost $500 billion out of Medicare over 10 years without degrading Medicare. That’s a big leap of faith.
You must accept that new taxes will begin almost immediately, but benefits won’t begin for three years.
That accounting trick may take care of the first 10 years. I don’t believe it will help much in the second 10 years. The United States of America is no longer the rich nation it was after World War II.
We’re piling up debt at an unheard rate and this bill will just pile on more.
I also object to the notion that the federal government can mandate that no pre-existing conditions can be considered without insurance companies raising rates on everybody. What’s to prevent them? There are actuarial tables of risks that the Congress cannot alter by passing a law. Further, why should an employer pay thousands of dollars per employee for health insurance for employees when the employer can pay a $700 fine per employee and discontinue health insurance? I predict millions of people will be thrown into Medicaid when their employer cannot afford group health insurance any longer. Try finding a doctor who will take more Medicaid patients.
I object that Republicans are accused of obstruction when no Republican ideas were adopted. Some Republican ideas were eminently sensible: restricting lawsuits to reasonable damages and allowing insurance companies to sell across state borders like car insurance is sold.
If people want to throw around charges of obstruction, lets take a minute to analyze why neither Republican ideas were added to the bill. First, trial lawyers give predominately to Democrats.
Prominent Democrats bluntly announced that they would not risk alienating such an important Democrat constituency as trial lawyers. Even though Democrats regularly castigate health insurance companies, those same companies support this bill because they want more customers without increased competition.
Finally, I object to the process that produced this bill. Where was the openness that Obama promised? Just why is Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Nebraska and Michigan exempt from the tax on “Cadillac” insurance plans? Nebraska’s exemption is obvious – it was a payoff for the senator from Nebraska’s vote.
Michigan’s exemption is a little more subtle. It may be because large unions in Michigan use Blue Cross/Blue Shield so Obama and Sen. Reid do not want to offend unions. Why do union workers in Michigan get a break, but union workers in Ohio and Indiana do not? It’s a patchwork quilt that reflects the political influence of the various senators.
All-in-all, the health care debate seems to lose sight of its chief purpose, which is to benefit more Americans. Americans have heard the debate and a 60 percent majority doesn’t like it anymore.
Democrat senators have become hard of hearing and determined to pass this hodgepodge of health care regardless of what their constituents say about it.
It’s still not too late for Michigan’s representatives and senators to listen.
Every last one of them are up for election in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Michael L. Waldron
Niles
I too believe that we need health care reform, but I want no part of the underhanded dealing going on right now. It has become a farce. Now Pelosi has decided that key people in her party are going to go behind closed doors to finalize the plan – what about the other party? We have been told no insurance for people here illegaly, however the congress is in the process of creating a bill giving the illegals amnesty. If that goes thru, how will that affect health care???? Until I see actual numbers of how much it will cost me, how can I KNOW this will be a benefit for me or not??? I also question if this mandate is really constitutional. We do need to fix the system, but this bill isn’t the answer.
This little farce called “Health Care Reform” is certainly no answer to health care, but pause for a moment and consider WHY it has been such a topic of debate and handled in such an underhanded manner? Republican or Democrat does not matter, it would be more accurate, if we are to paint the picture of duality, to view the “haves” and the “have nots”.
Of course the “haves” are the government officials, congress, executive and judicial branches, etc. And of course bankers, celebrities, athletes, etc, etc.
The type of “haves” I am talking about however are not just financially astute but also well-connected, for they must tow the line, that is, do the bidding of those above them.
They have a group of constituents to listen to, but sadly, no, it is not the group that they are supposed to represent, those who voted them in, but instead it is the lobbyists who represent Big Pharma who want this bill passed. What better way to rob Americans than with subsidized rates offered to sell their medications but under a wide-spread banner of “coverage” – that is, by enforcement.
Pelosi even went so far as to say it is perfectly OK for an American to be thrown in jail for either refusing to purchase government mandated insurance, or being unable to afford it!
So the question behind such a bill is, as always when it comes to politics, cui bono? Who benefits?
And why is it so many other countries provide health care FREE of charge?! I thought America was supposedly the greatest? Yet for her people, not a pittance! Perhaps if that peace-prize “winning” yet war-mongering President would spend less than $700 billion on war next year (latest bill passed for funding, a record setter) and did not sanction the robbing of American tax-payer dollars totaling billions if not trillions by the banking institutions, this country could afford free health care for all. But no! That would then BENEFIT the PEOPLE rather than the financial ELITE, so we will have none of that, now will we! Really, it is sad and infuriating and such a joke what this country has fast become, a country that spends 10 times more than any other in the world, on a per annum basis, for WAR and so-called defense (more like offense) budgets, yet cannot even be bothered enough to give a damn about its own people, the sweat and blood and tears of average americans who make it possible for those scoundrels to hold office in the first place.
The American population is seen as cattle by these people and if the public buys into the lies behind this supposed “reform” then they will be sheepled away for purposes that are NOT in YOUR best interest, rest (in peace) assured!
A good article, which talks about those “Cadillacs”
http://robertreich.org/post/328990297/the-last-big-question-will-health-care-reform-be-paid
Sincerely,
~Cor Leonis