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Health care is a privilege, not a right. The rights of all citizens of the
United States of America are clearly defined in our Constitution, and there
is nothing that proclaims the right to health care or “free” health
insurance.
The vast majority of doctors, nurses, medical technicians, Paramedics, and
administrators oppose the “public option” without reservation – not because
they fear they will lose their earning capacity – but because they fear the
intervention of government bureaucrats between doctor and patient that are
key to proscribing the best possible health care.
Those in our government who are determined to ram health care reform down
our throats are being far less than honest when it comes to assessing the
cost of their health care reform objectives. Any one with an ounce of
economic sense can understand that, if the commercial health insurance
industry is forced by law to accept all applicants, regardless of
pre-existing conditions that insurance premiums will increase. The insurance
industry in general – life insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, etc. -
is based on actuarial computations. Those who represent a higher risk pay
higher premiums. Those of us who represent lower risk by means of healthier
life-styles, good driving records, etc., pay lower premiums. This is a fair
and historically successful model for all forms of insurance, including
health insurance. The public option concept means that those of us with
healthy life-styles will subsidize the health insurance premiums for those
with unhealthy life-styles. Just how fair is that?
Even without a public option, the currently proposed reforms in health
care will result in higher insurance premiums for all. An independent study
conducted at the request of several Congressional delegations, and published
in the Wall Street Journal October 28, 2009, concluded that health insurance
premiums for individuals and small businesses could “more than triple under
Obamacare.” The 238-page report was immediately attacked and trashed by
Democrats in the House and Senate, without even reading the report.
The public option will result in the demolition of the private sector
health insurance industry. The government-run health insurance
administration will have the power to set all the rules for the health
insurance industry, both private and public (tax-supported). The government
agency will be under no obligation to achieve a profit for its shareholders,
unlike the private insurers who are obliged to their stockholders. The
government health insurance agency will, therefore, operate at a loss (at
tax-payer expense) to attract as much business as possible and run all the
private companies out of the business.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force just recently recommended that one
not start having mammograms until after the age of 50. The government would
view this recommendation as reason enough not to pay for mammograms for
anyone under 50. If health care is turned over to the government, imagine
what control they will have. Whatever they say goes. They will be cutting
corners trying to save money... and they needn't worry about any competitors
offering better service.
The nation’s health care industry is in need of reform, but not in the way
proposed by the Obama administration and the Congress. The way to bring down
health care costs and improve the quality of services must include the
following:
• Increase competition within the private sector.
• Reward innovation for technological improvements.
• Reduce the burden of ineffective or unnecessary government regulation.
• Provide incentives to all citizens, especially the young and healthy, to
acquire health insurance.
• Allow insurance providers to adjust rates in accordance with perceived
risk, as determined by actuarial calculations.
• Allow insurance providers to write policies that will cover their
policy-holders on a state-only basis, or nationwide basis, as requested by
the insured.
• Provide incentives for all citizens, especially the young and healthy, to
invest in interest-bearing health care savings accounts that would be
tax-deferred until maturity.
• Include tort reform as an integral part of any health care reform
legislation. The ridiculous monetary awards given to supposed medical
malpractice victims must be eliminated. When a 78-year old woman is awarded
$70+ million for spilling hot coffee in her crotch, something is
disturbingly wrong with our legal system.
• Do nothing to reduce the potential rewards, financial and otherwise, that
draw dedicated individuals to the medical profession. The doctors and nurses
that I know personally have dedicated years of their lives to rigorous
training and education. Often times their ultimate reward is a life saved,
or a health crisis averted. Do not put a government bureaucrat between these
dedicated professionals and their patients.
Finally, who the hell is going to pay for all this health care reform? The
Congressional Budget Office estimates that, even without the public option,
the increase in tax-payer liability will be more than $1 trillion over the
next ten years. This kind of tax-spend-borrow-spend policy will put us
deeper in dept than we are already. In addition, if our elected officials
truly believe that this health care reform is so wonderful then why doesn't
it include them?.
Contact your Congressman and
Senators
today, and let them know where you stand.
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