EDITORIAL: Dr. Obama putting on the glove
The problems surrounding President Obama’s bid to reform health care are so numerous that the entire effort should be put on ice until more sensible leaders emerge.
It’s not an easy or simplistic issue. There are a number of problems with the current health care system, not the least of which is rising costs that outpace the general inflation rate.
In reality, that is everybody’s fault.
Some hospitals and medical institutions advocate far too many procedures, in part due to fear of malpractice lawsuits and in part to generate income to pay for high-priced equipment.
Some insurance companies play far too many games with their customers, selecting the “healthy” to cover while denying coverage to those who are actually sick.
Government bureaucrats often meddle too much in the health care system, blocking the way for reasonable testing of promising new products and adding a layer of regulatory costs to all healthcare providers.
And finally, the American people are to blame. Smoking, drug abuse, obesity and other self-inflicted actions cause a large percentage of the nation’s healthcare problems. And some people are addicted to doctors, going to the ER every time they get a runny nose.
But as bad as the current system may be, the ObamaCare proposals would only make it worse. The two main problems are quality of care and the costs of his grandiose plans.
Whatever the final version of ObamaCare, it will include the rationing of healthcare. To an extent, that’s being done now by some insurance firms that refuse to pay for needed treatments.
But under ObamaCare, those decisions would be made by government, not patients and their doctors. Some government committee would decide if you “deserve” to get the care your doctor recommends, thus injecting a large dose of politics and potential corruption into the health care system.
As for the costs, Mr. Obama seems not to care very much how his grand plans are paid for. But the truth is, paying for government rationed health care would fall mainly on the backs of small businesses who can least afford it. (That’s why Wal-Mart endorses Mr. Obama’s plans; it’s a backdoor way for the mega retailer to force out smaller competitors so it can dominate the market even more.)
Small businesses provide most of the jobs in this nation, but under ObamaCare, many will have to close their doors. The resulting economic turmoil of ObamaCare will make the current recession look like a walk in the park.
Everyone wants better and cheaper healthcare, but they want it to be paid for by someone else.
There’s no free system; somebody has to pay in the end.
So bend over; that snapping sound you heard was Dr. Obama and Congress putting on their gloves to solve your health care problems.
In reality, that is everybody’s fault.
Some hospitals and medical institutions advocate far too many procedures, in part due to fear of malpractice lawsuits and in part to generate income to pay for high-priced equipment.
Some insurance companies play far too many games with their customers, selecting the “healthy” to cover while denying coverage to those who are actually sick.
Government bureaucrats often meddle too much in the health care system, blocking the way for reasonable testing of promising new products and adding a layer of regulatory costs to all healthcare providers.
And finally, the American people are to blame. Smoking, drug abuse, obesity and other self-inflicted actions cause a large percentage of the nation’s healthcare problems. And some people are addicted to doctors, going to the ER every time they get a runny nose.
But as bad as the current system may be, the ObamaCare proposals would only make it worse. The two main problems are quality of care and the costs of his grandiose plans.
Whatever the final version of ObamaCare, it will include the rationing of healthcare. To an extent, that’s being done now by some insurance firms that refuse to pay for needed treatments.
But under ObamaCare, those decisions would be made by government, not patients and their doctors. Some government committee would decide if you “deserve” to get the care your doctor recommends, thus injecting a large dose of politics and potential corruption into the health care system.
As for the costs, Mr. Obama seems not to care very much how his grand plans are paid for. But the truth is, paying for government rationed health care would fall mainly on the backs of small businesses who can least afford it. (That’s why Wal-Mart endorses Mr. Obama’s plans; it’s a backdoor way for the mega retailer to force out smaller competitors so it can dominate the market even more.)
Small businesses provide most of the jobs in this nation, but under ObamaCare, many will have to close their doors. The resulting economic turmoil of ObamaCare will make the current recession look like a walk in the park.
Everyone wants better and cheaper healthcare, but they want it to be paid for by someone else.
There’s no free system; somebody has to pay in the end.
So bend over; that snapping sound you heard was Dr. Obama and Congress putting on their gloves to solve your health care problems.
If you have issues with the program, state them. It comes off as if you just don't want any part of it because of the party of the current president.
You're the one who brought party politics to this debate, not Mike.
Manny of these people now are young enough that their body is still forgiving them for the abuse but when they hit 40's and 50's look out.
Answers better diet and exercise.Will it happen, probably not. People have become addicted to AC and computers/games/fast food/drive throughs/
I guess the other thing is society now accepts obesity as being OK where in the past it was viewed in a negative way.
It's hard to believe but had someone told me people would be paying 1.50 or more for a bottle of water 20 years ago I would have called them crazy.
go figure
I think you did a good job of summarizing a very complex issue. What most people fail to realize is the government currently pays for about 70% of all healthcare provided, Medicare, VA hospitals and clinics, Medicaid, Federal workers, etc. Each of these already rations care. Medicare doesn't pay for certain products to be implanted, and makes it illegal for the surgeon to explain that product as an option. If you have private insurance you get the implant and keep your vision. Medicaid pays so little very few doctors will see you. If you really want to see full blown government care go to a VA hospital or clinic.
There is a simple answer, remove government from healthcare policy. Remove them from offering entitlement healthcare(medicare/medicaid), remove them from mandating what must be covered in private insurance plans, remove them from proclaiming a product safe and then allowing patients to sue doctors/medical companies.
When you dissect the issue you will understand government isn't the savior but the destroyer.
Good healthcare costs money. The poor should be helped but everyone else should pay. And even the poor should do something to contribute unless they're unable.
At the appropriate time as regulated by the US congress and kept accurate by the national institute of standards and technology and the US naval observatory, I get into my national highway traffic safety administration approved automobile and set out to work on the roads build by the local, state, and federal departments of transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the environmental protection agency, using legal tender issued by the federal reserve bank. On the way out the door I deposit any mail I have to be sent out via the US postal service and drop the kids off at the public school.
After spending another day not being maimed or killed at work thanks to the workplace regulations imposed by the department of labor and the occupational safety and health administration, enjoying another two meals which again do not kill me because of the USDA, I drive my NHTSA car back home on the DOT roads, to my house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and fire marshal's inspection, and which has not been plundered of all it's valuables thanks to the local police department.
I then log on to the internet which was developed by the defense advanced research projects administration and post about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can't do anything right.
Just because the government can accomplish things by borrowing hideous amounts from future generations does not mean they do a good job.
Remember the Soviet Union. It no longer exists and the people there are still starving.