Some on the Right say that government run (or even influenced) medical care is unconstitutional. I respond that it is the responsibility of our government to meet any crisis that dramatically impacts everyone in the USA, and argue that the founding fathers would agree with me.
There can be no question that our health care payment system is in crisis. Our health care system is excellent, but access and costs are not. You can certainly find a laundry list of faults with the current system – enough to make anyone agree that the system must be reformed – but let me just list three low points.
The lack of health insurance is fatal – 45,000 Americans die every year because of inadequate health insurance.
900,000 Americans will declare bankruptcy this year because of medical bills. 75% of them will have health insurance.
The increase in medical costs will make Medicare and Medicaid unsustainable and bankrupt individuals.
In summary, 16% of our economy and the lives of every American are at risk.
Yes, Virginia, this is a crisis. What guidance do we get from our founding fathers?
Preamble to the Constitution:
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Declaration of Independence:
"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
In the Preamble to the Constitution, promoting the general Welfare would certainly ensure that they stayed alive, wouldn’t it? Or that they don’t get canceled when they get sick, or pay for the costs above a cap out of their pocket, or going bankrupt to stay alive?
The Declaration of Independence makes their thinking even clearer. All Men have the unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Simple. Every American has the unalienable right to stay alive. And it’s pretty hard to pursue Happiness when you’re going bankrupt.
I deduce that the founding founders would analyze the current system and find that our for-profit health insurance model (unique in the industrialized world) is hazardous to our national best interest and violates their basic tenets.
The logical solution is Medicare-for-All, but IF the for-profit health insurance model will be our future, we must impose significant restrictions on the industry. Again, there could be a laundry list, but two seem critical to me. A limit (90%)must be set for the percentage of income an insurance company must spent for medical care. National minimum standards must be set to allow quality insurance to be sold across state lines.
The Constitution says that it’s the role of the government to provide for the general welfare. OK, Government (and No-ers, this includes you), get with the job that the Constitution gave you. Promote the general welfare. Allow us life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Pass Health Care Reform!!