Please Explain
Here’s something I do not understand. Why do Americans who do not pay anywhere close to the actual cost of their health insurance want to deny others coverage? Why will these people not look to other modern countries in the world and at least consider how their “universal coverage” systems work?
I do observe this phenomena in other areas as well. Some Americans beat their chests and fly the flag proudly while boasting of living in the greatest free (under law) country in the world. These same people, however, do not object (and some support) indefinite detention and enhanced interrogation, and do not under any circumstances want the Guantanamo prisoners tried in civil courts in the US. Why? Do they believe that justice comes in different flavors?
The health care conundrum strikes right at the heart of what ails America today. Americans, I believe, do not hate others and want to deny them health coverage. Instead Americans want to take care of themselves first, and do not want to jeopardize their own coverage. This is especially the case if someone else getting coverage might limit their access or increase their cost, then it is tough break and the other person gets screwed. The real tragedy here is that Americans do not ask “root cause” questions. Like what does my health care actually cost, and why is my health care so expensive?
So, please explain to me why Americans do not ask these questions when, even in the cases where they deny others health care, in a short period of time, these same Americans will be paying enormously more (as employers opt out of this benefit) and will be paying even more each year there after because nothing has been done to contain health care costs?
I guess nobody has said we are the smartest nation in the world.
This entry was posted on November 29, 2010 at 12:06 pm and is filed under Barack Obama, Democratic Party, Politics, Republican Party. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: congress, health care, health care insurance industry, single payer, universal health care
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November 29, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Nobody is denying coverage to any American. The citizens can decide to either buy health care insurance or not buy health care insurance. Those who feel it is responsible, generally buy health insurance to protect themselves and their families from medical costs that may arise in the future. Others tend to wait and want others to pay for their health care. There are several options available for those Americans who do not have health insurance. However, most just go to the ER and let the taxpayers pick up the bill through increased insurance premiums.
We can look to Canada to see the real effects of universal health care. The system is going broke. The UK is turning its health care system back over to the doctors because government screwed their health care system up as well. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1332070/Stafford-Hospital-inquiry-Patients-left-water-forced-drink-vases.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8108385/Why-we-are-healthier-than-Americans-but-die-earlier.html
The goal of ObamaCare was to drive Americans out of the employer-paid insurance market. Obama said so himself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-bY92mcOdk
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/129405-employer-sponsored-health-coverage-continues-to-drop
As for Gitmo and the civilian trails. These prisoners were captured on the battlefield, not on the streets of America. Our own military men and woman are tried in military court and not in a civilian court. These prisoners do not fit into any particular category as described under the Geneva Conventions guidelines and do not deserve the same constitutional rights we Americans receive. These guys are non-uniformed individuals who were caught on the battlefield during a war. They were attacking US and coalition forces. Why would they be brought into the US civilian courts to be tried? It’s a military matter. Ever notice when our troops are captured they never make it to civilian trails?
November 30, 2010 at 11:38 am
Scotty,
1. you can do better than “no one is denying” coverage… Insurance companies are dropping coverage left and right for pre-existing conditions, or life time claims. Individuals are disadvantaged all the time by not be part of any pool. There is no argument that improving health care and reducing costs lies on a path of healthy life styles and preventive medical coverage.
For sure, anyone can walk into an Emergency room but that is a poor substitute for a clinic or standard medical practice.
2. Canada, like all other countries, is caught with the dilemma of rising costs (rising slower than the US) and how much the people are willing to pay (ie government tax funding). There is no avoiding the issue that health care cost real money. Everyone has a responsibility to pay but no one has the should have the right to refuse care.
3. The UK has a previous reputation for long waits for service. The UK has a total government run system (doctors work for the government), and initially they got the number of service providers wrong. Today UK health care is rated good and against certain outcomes, better than the US… On the other hand Germany, France, and Japan have universal coverage, do not have long waits and use private doctors and hospitals. It might surprise some to realize that universal coverage has nothing to do with whether doctors and hospitals are private, not for profit, or totally government run (like the US VA).
4. Here is an interesting article about the cost problems with health care today (forget about Obamacare)… We need to turn down the rhetoric about socialized medicine and look at where our own system is heading…
http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/02/health-care-costs-opinions-columnists-reform.html
5. With respect to Gitmo, I would prefer to discuss this issue separately from health care. In short, the Gitmo prisoners should never have been brought there, and a more stupid and short sighted policy is hard to imagine.
6. In any case, thanks for your comments and in practical terms, a successful path forward for America’s health care problems probably lies in between our two positions.