Comments on: The Ethics of Health Reform http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:03:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve Robison http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-33268 Steve Robison Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:18:18 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/the-ethics-of-health-reform/#comment-33268 I just had to jump in here and offer my 2 cents. Yes, I should pay for my own health care. Unfortunately, I not only do that, but I also pay for a lot of other people's healthcare as well. I don't smoke and I'm not obese. Even work out 2 or more times a week. So, I may not need to claim my insurance benefits real soon. Others in my risk pool who are rooting for cardiac arrest and at the same time poking down another pizza are primed for action. My thinking is that sooner or later the fats and smokers will find themselves in their own risk pool. Then the State will have to step in becuase that risk pool dies off. Of course when the State steps in (be it local state or federal) I'm back to paying again. Bill Gates has it right methinks. He is putting his charity cash where it will be used for the most good because there is no welfare state, no net, no reassigning of income or benefit. I just had to jump in here and offer my 2 cents.

Yes, I should pay for my own health care. Unfortunately, I not only do that, but I also pay for a lot of other people’s healthcare as well.

I don’t smoke and I’m not obese. Even work out 2 or more times a week. So, I may not need to claim my insurance benefits real soon. Others in my risk pool who are rooting for cardiac arrest and at the same time poking down another pizza are primed for action.

My thinking is that sooner or later the fats and smokers will find themselves in their own risk pool. Then the State will have to step in becuase that risk pool dies off. Of course when the State steps in (be it local state or federal) I’m back to paying again.

Bill Gates has it right methinks. He is putting his charity cash where it will be used for the most good because there is no welfare state, no net, no reassigning of income or benefit.

]]> By: Lucy http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-33206 Lucy Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:28:04 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/the-ethics-of-health-reform/#comment-33206 Beautifully put, John! Beautifully put, John!

]]> By: Chris Ewin http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32799 Chris Ewin Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:07:21 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/the-ethics-of-health-reform/#comment-32799 You know my thoughts on primary care. Just because you have health insurance doesn't mean you have access to primary care. You should pay your primary care physician directly and avoid all the middlemen. You know my thoughts on primary care. Just because you have health insurance doesn’t mean you have access to primary care. You should pay your primary care physician directly and avoid all the middlemen.

]]> By: Stephen Moses http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32798 Stephen Moses Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:05:57 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/the-ethics-of-health-reform/#comment-32798 This post tickled me even more than most of your always-excellent, thought-provoking pieces. I reckon there are several of us out there who think "who should pay?" is an interesting question. But I'll bet there aren't many who understand "Kantian universalizability" or the Rawlsian veil of ignorance." You go, guy. Hit'em where it hurts: in the principles. This post tickled me even more than most of your always-excellent, thought-provoking pieces. I reckon there are several of us out there who think “who should pay?” is an interesting question. But I’ll bet there aren’t many who understand “Kantian universalizability” or the Rawlsian veil of ignorance.” You go, guy. Hit’em where it hurts: in the principles.

]]> By: Regina Herzlinger http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32797 Regina Herzlinger Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:03:01 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/the-ethics-of-health-reform/#comment-32797 So what about the 80/20 eg the top 1% spend over $35k a year and some of that is repetitive. So what about the 80/20 eg the top 1% spend over $35k a year and some of that is repetitive.

]]> By: Sean Khozin, MD, MPH http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32777 Sean Khozin, MD, MPH Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:56:58 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/the-ethics-of-health-reform/#comment-32777 It is estimated that 30% of our healthcare dollars go to administrative costs related to insurer restrictions imposed on physicians. The health insurance industry has made it very difficult for physicians to deliver appropriate care. I agree that each individual should be responsible for paying for their own health insurance but we must come up with a way to change the wasteful ways of the system. Insurance companies should just sell insurance and allow physicians to manage the care of their patients. Many physicians have realized the need to be directly involved in the next wave of healthcare reform. I'd like to bring your attention to an ambitious physician-led campaign currently underway to raise public awareness on the reasons behind our broken healthcare system. It is estimated that 30% of our healthcare dollars go to administrative costs related to insurer restrictions imposed on physicians. The health insurance industry has made it very difficult for physicians to deliver appropriate care. I agree that each individual should be responsible for paying for their own health insurance but we must come up with a way to change the wasteful ways of the system. Insurance companies should just sell insurance and allow physicians to manage the care of their patients.

Many physicians have realized the need to be directly involved in the next wave of healthcare reform. I’d like to bring your attention to an ambitious physician-led campaign currently underway to raise public awareness on the reasons behind our broken healthcare system.

]]> By: Jeff McCallum http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32334 Jeff McCallum Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:33:21 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/the-ethics-of-health-reform/#comment-32334 Your Gates point is interesting and to a great extent true; we rescue elephants in South East Asia while people die in our hospital emergency rooms.Need is indeed a claim and until we can work together to correct the economic and political conditions which create the Katrina after-math, the campaign finance debacle, the fact that medicare and social security were created to serve a need based population and not retired officials with millions in the bank and million dollar pensions who feel entiled to collect because they contribute, need should continue to be a test. Your Gates point is interesting and to a great extent true; we rescue elephants in South East Asia while people die in our hospital emergency rooms.Need is indeed a claim and until we can work together to correct the economic and political conditions which create the Katrina after-math, the campaign finance debacle, the fact that medicare and social security were created to serve a need based population and not retired officials with millions in the bank and million dollar pensions who feel entiled to collect because they contribute, need should continue to be a test.

]]> By: Roger Beauchamp http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32327 Roger Beauchamp Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:38:47 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/the-ethics-of-health-reform/#comment-32327 Me too and I do!! Some may think I am anti-insurance because I am pro free choice. I have carried and paid for insurance my whole life. What I am against is coercive insurance, wasteful insurance, mandated insurance, overpriced insurance etc. Need I go on? Me too and I do!! Some may think I am anti-insurance because I am pro free choice. I have carried and paid for insurance my whole life. What I am against is coercive insurance, wasteful insurance, mandated insurance, overpriced insurance etc. Need I go on?

]]> By: Libby Wright http://healthblog.ncpa.org/the-ethics-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32218 Libby Wright Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:54:08 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/the-ethics-of-health-reform/#comment-32218 John, I always like to argue that no matter what, we do and always will pay for our health care. The question should be: who will make the decision on what my health care plan will look like? If it is government run, taxpayers pay for it but politicians and bureaucrats decide on what it looks like -- what it will cover and more than likely, what it wont cover. If we keep the current system, we are essentially paying for our health plan. Instead of a higher salary, we get a benefit. (based on the history of employer sponsored health care) But employers make the decisions on what it looks like. But if we change the tax code and incentives so we can make the decisions on the health plan we want, that is the better route to follow. Libby Wright Citizens Against Govt Waste John, I always like to argue that no matter what, we do and always will pay for our health care. The question should be: who will make the decision on what my health care plan will look like?

If it is government run, taxpayers pay for it but politicians and bureaucrats decide on what it looks like — what it will cover and more than likely, what it wont cover.

If we keep the current system, we are essentially paying for our health plan. Instead of a higher salary, we get a benefit. (based on the history of employer sponsored health care) But employers make the decisions on what it looks like.

But if we change the tax code and incentives so we can make the decisions on the health plan we want, that is the better route to follow.

Libby Wright
Citizens Against Govt Waste

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