This HOODWINK AWARD goes to the Health Care Industry, Health Care Insurance Companies, Pharmaceutical Companies, Lawyers Associations, the Obama Administration, Congress and all those who continue to represent special interests, while the average citizen of our country is facing economic ruin.
Here we go again. It seems like everyone in the Federal Government is in a big rush to spend our future. Now it’s Health Care Reform. And, it’s always in a package that is too big and complex for those who are supposed to represent our interests to understand or even read. If something is worth doing, then it’s worth taking the time and concern for our “average” citizens to do it right. We may need reforms, but we do not need THE REFORM of our entire health care system.
They ask us to trust the “Government” to make the right decisions for us. They’re supposed to be the Government, but they’re not the ones making the decisions for the future health care of the average citizen of our country? It’s once again going to be those lobbyists for those major industries; the Insurance companies; the Pharmaceutical companies; the Attorneys; the Health Care professionals; and any other stakeholder in the argument that needs to protect their profits and positions. The “Government” is supposed to represent US, not the special interests that are in control of our country. That’s why WE elected them to their positions. Let’s make sure they don't forget that the Government exists WITH THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED.
Our health care system is a mess because of greed, corruption, lack of regulatory enforcement, lack of competition, and inefficiencies in delivery. We hear from the Obama Administration and those in Congress that most of this reform can be paid for by the hundreds of billions that can be saved by eliminating the inefficiencies, waste and corruption in government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. If that’s true, and I trust that it is, why not accomplish that now and show it as an act of good faith to the taxpayers of our country before committing future tax dollars to this reform. These same statements were made way back then with Hillary Care, and yet the inefficiencies, waste and corruption were allowed to continue for over another decade. We wouldn’t be in this mess, if we would have begun the clean-up of the health care system back then. SHOW US THE MONEY NOW!
The first place we need to start is with every member of Congress immediately giving up their government paid health care coverage. In order to represent their constituents, they need to first face the same conditions that their constituents are facing now, and not wait until this reform is passed as some have suggested. This privileged class needs to understand the problem by experiencing the problems. They are certainly being compensated a lot more than the Average Joe and Jane back home in their districts. There is no sense of urgency on their part to fix the system because their health care is guaranteed in a comfort zone that us Average folk, will never experience, but whose only guarantee is that our access and coverage will be diminished over time as our costs increase. And, how many of our citizens are making the choice between health care or paying their mortgages, or buying groceries?
And what happened to all the fixes that would make our health care system work more efficiently. I know as a state senator I proposed many that reduced the costs of health care, provided for more access and saved lives..............
What about opening health insurance competition throughout the country; providing for high deductible health insurance policies, tax-free health savings accounts and tax deductible individual heath insurance? Why can’t the government do what private industry refuses to do: Lower costs through prevention and early detection? Instead of nationalizing the health care industry, why doesn’t the Government start by at least providing for free screening and diagnosis of the major illnesses and conditions such as Heart conditions, Stroke and for Breast, Cervical, Colorectal and Prostate cancers? This will encourage the Average Joe and Jane to go to a medical facility and provide cost effective early detection and in most cases inexpensive treatments. This will not only save millions of lives, but will save billions of dollars (according to government health care professionals), that will translate into lower costs for insurance companies and lower premiums for consumers and businesses who will be able to afford to insure their employees. Who knows, maybe in the future we can have the government also add other widespread chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes and hepatitis to this program. But, that would take planning and more health care professionals, who can be encouraged to enter the primary care field through earmarked scholarships for that purpose. We need to start thinking about health care delivery, instead of putting so much emphasis on the government insuring us all in a system that will only cause rationing and diminished access.
And why is our country 29th in infant mortality, tied with Poland and Slovakia given all our advances in medical technology? The reason is that so many more children are being born with low birth weights that not only cause complications and expense at the beginning of their lives--estimated $28,000/month in neonatal care--but also cause many severe medical conditions throughout their life. Maybe the government could provide for pre-natal care to encourage more examinations of pregnant mothers, but also treatment for low birth weights. While there are many who don't want the government involved in anything that appears to be socialized, they should realize that there is an even greater expense to the public by neglecting conditions that in the long run will save money as well as human misery and productivity. It especially doesn't seem that much of an investment if your child is one of the 30,000 that will die every year after they are born, from pre-natal neglect.
The government can also get involved in the prevention of many diseases and conditions through curriculums in schools that deal with the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse, passing legislation limiting the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, and prohibiting smoking in pubic institutions such as jails and schools.
But, it takes common sense and a dedication to help people, rather than the special interests that command so much of our taxpayer funded Government. There can be a role for Government in Health Care, but it’s not to completely run the system by insuring each one of us.
The Health Care Reform proposed by our Federal Government is run by special interests on every side of the issue, and they all look at it like it is “all or nothing” for their interests. What about our interests? A good example is Tort Reform. Why not offer Tort Reform just for lawyers and not the suffering patients? That would cut the costs of health care and still protect those who have been harmed, by just limiting the amount lawyers can collect. Why not even consider offering warranties for work done by those in the health care industry as we do with other purchases in our economic system? If all the special interests influencing our government can be pressured by our elected representatives into giving something for reform, it can be accomplished without the burdens placed upon our citizens and future generations by a complete and irreversible nationalizing of our health care system. Let’s eat the elephant in the room one bite at time, since its immediate total consumption, will leave a bloated debt, with a sickness exacerbated by not being able to be treated by an over ambitious Government.
You would think that all these folks clamoring for immediate, total health care reform would have been in a rush to clean up the corruption of Medicare and Medicaid. You would think that these members of Congress first, would have taken their time listening to and learning from their constituents as to what would solve their needs for health care, and then at least read the bill that consumes the whole elephant in one sitting. Unfortunately, the “average” Obama and members of Congress have never experienced what it’s like to live like the Average Joe.
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