| Health Care "Debate" | for everyone |
I don't pretend to know the answers to the health care issue (and I'd be suspicious of anybody on either side who claims certainty). This was written before President Obama's speech tonight which I didn't hear anyway. But I'm pretty sure of the following:
1. Anybody who talks about "death squads" or implies the government will be getting into the life-termination business (except for capital punishment which apparently is perfectly fine*) is deliberately twisting the proposal and has forfeited the right to be taken seriously or listened to. My wife and I have advanced directives on file; my father has advanced directives on file. To have those discussions (which we, in essence, paid for, through our attorneys) covered for people without means strikes me as humane, not murderous. Even reasonable conservative columnists who oppose the Obama proposal recognize this. It was non-controversial until it became the latest political wedge.
2. The current "system" (and I use the word loosely -- in fact, I'd suggest we don't have a system at all) is badly flawed and doing nothing is not an option. There is zero evidence that the problem will fix itself or go away. Those driving our current "system" (essentially insurance companies) are driven primarily for profit. Profit is good, profit is necessary for companies to survive. But I don't want that to be the first priority of what kind of health coverage I have, or whether I get it at all. On the other hand, if the ideologues on both sides would think about the people instead of the politics of credit and blame, there are some obvious significant, if small, fixes that could be done tomorrow.
3. Just because you have health insurance doesn't mean that there's not a problem.
4. I don't trust the insurance industry any more than many (most?) people trust the government. I probably trust it less.
5. If the Canadian (or English, or any other) system is such a disaster, why is there no groundswell of support in those countries to adopt the "clearly superior" American "system?" Sorry, anecdotes of horror stories don't count. There are plenty of those in the USA, as well. Empirical data (unbiased sources preferred, assuming they exist), please.
6. Health care in the US is already rationed -- those who have health insurance get it, those without do without (except for emergency rooms, which increases our bills and premiums because those uncovered costs get covered by spreading them out among the insured). From a purely pragmatic point of view, that lack of preventive care costs us all.
7. Those of us lucky enough to still have insurance are already paying for those who don't. My sky-high, ever-increasing (at a rate far beyond the rate of inflation) health insurance premiums cover those without health insurance. And while I recognize and can even appreciate the lack of faith in the government, the insurance industry is a bureaucracy, too, and, in my experience, of questionable efficiency and even more questionable motivation. I have no doubt the insurance industry is better than the government in holding down costs. Just remember, it may be YOUR expenses they use to do so. Be careful what you wish for....
8. I already know, first-hand, how arbitrary and capricious health insurance companies can be in their quest to "contain costs."
9. There's no logic to the fact that, because I have health insurance, my bill is lower than someone who doesn't for the same service. Because I can afford to pay for coverage I get a discount? But those with the least ability to pay have a surcharge? Say what?
10. I didn't think of this myself, but I'd suggest a certain level of hypocrisy by congressional critics of government-run health care and government-run hospitals who use both for their own needs. (Allegedly the BC/BS administration of their health insurance is a not-for-profit arm of the company, unlike the for profit company which administers mine.)
10. I didn't think of this myself, but I'd suggest a certain level of hypocrisy by congressional critics of government-run health care and government-run hospitals who use both for their own needs. (Allegedly the BC/BS administration of their health insurance is a not-for-profit arm of the company, unlike the for profit company which administers mine.)
11. Screaming does not constitute debate. This applies equally to the self-righteous teabaggers and self-righteous liberals or SEIU thugs. Being the loudest talker is no evidence of wisdom. Having a radio or TV show endows you with no special insight. Ridicule and juvenile stunts may be effective tactics but serve only as obstacles to the resolution of a problem.
12. And we absolutely have a problem (see #2 & #3, above, which means I'm done here).
Lucky 13. This was supposed to be short and pithy. Apparently I don't do either pithy or short very well! Well, sometimes I can be a little pithy! (pun intended)
* I am a theoretical opponent of the death-penalty, but you'll never find me with a candle outside a prison holding a vigil for some thug or thuggette. The death of most of the names in the news around this issue causes me no loss of sleep. I just wouldn't want to be responsible for voting for or causing their (perhaps even well-deserved) demise. That's another topic, of course, but now I have nothing more to add on it anyway.
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