I was listening to the Sunday shows today and what I heard was, the Democrats and the Republicans, neither want to really change things, both want a system the continues the for profit Insurance Industry. It seems a little disingenuous, Insurance mandates for everyone, Medicare cuts for everyone except in the lucky deal States, taxes on individual policies, I'm looking for the benefits. I see none, except for the Insurance business. Any additional coverage they will be "forced" to extend will be more than compensated for by premium payers and who else, government subsidy. Who believes for a second that Insurance profits are going down or staffs and wages to bonuses are going to be trimmed to cover the People's Health Care?
By the way, what will a free standing typical new "mandatee" have to pay? What will that minimum be and what possible coverage will he get for it. There has been no hint whatsoever, so I'm free to guess, that it won't be all that and certainly not more. They are painting this picture of a lazy greedy public simply opting out of Insurance coverage because they are young and healthy. The truth is closer to, people don't routinely purchase Health Insurance because they simply can't afford it and still pay other living expenses. I see a train wreck coming here with these mandates, I see some people at the bottom of the wage scale still owing the Insurance Company after they take a weeks wage from a worker.
So, the Government will pay it? Pay the Insurance companies the balance so as to keep them "solvent"? That means China and OPEC will buy treasuries to finance Government debt to pay Insurance subsidies for Americans who can't afford it, which is, let's face, more of us than you probably think. These details are missing from the reform talk, other than a "Trust Me" from Barack Obama.
Well, I do not trust Insurance companies nor Hospitals, and they are the reason you can't find an independent affordable Family Doctor anymore, except an ER, don't go there if you can help it, suffer through it. The bills never stop coming even from the simplest of visits. But, if you ask the right way, huge, up to 80% discounts can be had for paying in full, if you can. But that just increases my distrust of the whole system, in short, "What's up with that?" The prices are being phonied up somewhere.
We need a sweeping reform of the Medical-Insurance-Pharmacopeia-Infrastructure-Complex. Not this reform, nor what the Republicans think they are offering that is different. It's time to remove the for profit Insurance angle from the mix. It's time to remove the Madison Avenue "hawked" Pharmacopeia from the mix. It's time to decentralize Medicine again and encourage private clinics and family Doctors and return hospitals back to their original function, which is advanced care. Done right we're talking about freeing up a bundle of "bucks" to reform and have a universal FREE to anyone who walks through the door health care system.
Oh well, I not going to write a book, but thanks for reading.