Comments on: What is the Health Care Debate Really About? http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/ 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: Raju Ahamad http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-99842 Raju Ahamad Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:46:19 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-99842 Thank you to share with us this informative and valuable article. <a href='http://www.ezbeautifulskin.com/' rel="nofollow"> EZBEAUTIFULSKIN </a> Thank you to share with us this informative and valuable article.
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]]> By: co op travel exchange rates http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-93562 co op travel exchange rates Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:30:27 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-93562 excellent put up, very informative. I ponder why the opposite specialists of this sector don't realize this. You must proceed your writing. I'm sure, you have a great readers' base already! excellent put up, very informative. I ponder why the opposite specialists of this sector don’t realize this. You must proceed your writing. I’m sure, you have a great readers’ base already!

]]> By: Concerned College Student http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-61416 Concerned College Student Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:30:18 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-61416 It is human nature not to show concern or empathy, watching humans die, while knowing that your intervention can save them. The “9/11” incident would say that statement is far from reality. In a moment of crisis, local municipal workers (firefighters, police, and paramedics) and civilians came together to aid those in need. Their thinking wasn’t centered on the financial burden of increased taxes. In that scenario, over five-thousand people lost their lives. How is it immoral, unreasonable, or unethical then, to defray a few dollars of income for your taxes to save millions of lives? Who doesn’t have a heart that goes out to the poor and sick children of third world countries? Even if a person never paid a penny to non-profit organizations, their heart may wish that they had the finances to do so. The answers to these questions, relies upon ones’ ethical morality, or plainly, parsimonious view. Views, such as these, are generally evoked when a person might feel as though there’s no reciprocation. Dr. W. responded to the Nationalized Health Care issue on the website “www.healthcare.procon.org.” His words illuminated his true sense of clinging on to his possessions, that he didn’t want to lose another dollar to the government in which he felt was, “truly unsustainable.” Dr. W.s’ contrived would strike a chord of disharmony among Americans. Often, events of change are defensively charged off by those who would possess these less than subtle attributes. For those who seek truth, it becomes easy to discern the true nature of the intentions of remarks like those of Dr. W. When taking a closer look at this argument, let’s first separate this complex issue to gain more of an understanding of how it works. One such factor is the problem of integrating a system that offers an insanely expensive service for low or no cost when every resource to this system thrives upon profit. To paint a picture where it is easier to identify problems with this issue, imagine the equivalent being a “Mc Donald’s’” which serves food for free to homeless and unemployed individuals and families. How would (or could) you keep donations coming in to sustain the organization? Donations would have to consistently flow in at an extremely high volume to keep up with the demand. The donations (actual food, equipment, the building, money) would have to also be scrutinized so that it is certain consumable items are free of bacteria, that workers have acquired the proper licenses/certifications to work with food and to operate the machinery, and finally, that the people receiving the services aren’t subjected to harsh chemicals and building environments (asbestos, broken glass, wet floors, sharp edges, etc.). Workers would have to be hired or volunteer their services to operate the organization and, somehow, the overhead (maintenance, upkeep. electricity, gas, waste disposal, water and sewage, rent, and taxes) would have to be routinely taken care of. When computing that not only does the organization have to purchase product from other companies to manufacture its product, it also has to purchase other goods and services to get its product out and to conduct business. In the medical field, the suppliers of medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, prosthesis, and chemicals create a huge problem; they all want to get paid. All of the products and services are extremely expensive and to hire the medical professional staff to service and implement these products belies yet another incredibly huge expense. Add to this to the mixture; Medicare takes care of Americas’ citizens over 65. It is widely known that medical expenses exponentially increase as the age of 65 is reached and surpassed. This means that more medical care has to be provided for the elderly than someone in their 30’s. Overhead for the cost of operating such an organization easily runs into the tens of millions per quarter. In Americas Commercialist society, it creates a sense that the one with the most money is the strongest, even though, it may not be true. However, having a lot more money ensures the capability of being healthier by being able to afford any kind of necessary preventative care versus not having as much money to manage. If the government picked up the cost of Medicare (as it has), of course, working citizens would have to pay for it in their taxes. Here lays another problematic situation. The issue isn’t that Americans would have to pay more, its’ that while most citizens pay their fair share into the taxes, the most prosperous of them don’t do so and the less fortunate are forced to bear the huge financial weight. Having large sums of money allows one to ascertain certain privileges such as hiring tax attorneys to find loopholes in tax laws so that they can preserve more of their earnings. This undermines the skeletal structure of the Americas’ tax system. The money that would be used from these well to do citizens would offset the tax structure and alleviate the pressure of heavy taxes imposed on the middle and lower class citizens. The poor and middle class are taxed into submission because the money has to come from somewhere. If the rich aren’t willing to part with their money, then Americas financial weight shifts to the next class lower class; middle class America. Why, if more than 70 percent of Americans want health care, has the NHC issue being so hotly debated? Aren’t American citizens’ desires, ideas, and wishes supposed to be represented by those they elected? Then if 70 percent of Americans want health care, why are their government almost equally divided on the issue? According to Yes! Online magazine, “It could be the fact that the health care industry, the top spender on Capitol Hill, spent $183.3 million on lobbying just in the second half of 2005, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.com. And in the 2003–2004 election cycle, they spent $123.7 million on election campaigns, according to the Center for Responsive Politics” (Yes!). Social health insurance: contributions for health care are collected from workers, self-employed people, enterprises and the government. These monies are pooled into a social health insurance fund or funds. Universal coverage can be achieved with this type of financing scheme only if contributions are made on behalf of each member of the population and contributions are individualized based on people's ability to pay. For this reason most social health insurance schemes combine different sources of funds, and the government contributes on behalf of people who cannot afford to pay themselves. Before I delve into this topic, let me be perfectly clear: I understand both sides to this argument and am involved personally in both sides. My family is split republican/democrat. We have something to lose on both sides and I have discussed with all of them what NHC means to both sides. It becomes painfully obvious the main concerns of both parties once the topic is on the table. I began to do my own research on the topic, finding truths on both sides and even writing papers in college on the debate. It's understandable that people work hard to get what they have. It's perfectly arguable that someone that works hard doesn’t want to part with what they worked so hard to get. Believe me. I understand hard work. I was an automatic upset operator for a tier one automotive supplier. For those of you who don't know what that is, I hot forged axles for trucks and cars. My job was one step above working in a foundry. It was back-breaking work. The pay was substantial ($55,000-$100,000+ per year) and the work dangerous. I had excellent health care until the company reduced it to HMOs' with limited coverage. Mind you, at this business, workers lost eyes, digits, limbs and life regularly. I could afford most of what I wanted but money was slim if I really wanted to go into business for myself or go on vacation. So do I understand losing something I worked so hard for? YES. One thing is for sure; people scare easy. It's no surprise that politicians use scare tactics to their advantage to vie for political positioning or accomplishing whatever agenda they have before them. It's interesting, however, how people are quick to discount the ideology behind NHC (nationalized Health Care). I see no one on here, in my class debates, on the news, or in congress offering a real solid solution to the present NHC law, only negative conjecture and abstract words. It's tiresome to listen to people using doomsday scare tactics and assuming the worst out of what hasn't even taken hold yet. According to many, because of NHC, America will plunge into some kind of indescribable, unspeakable torment. I've heard everything from death panels to financial destruction to socialism and as of yet, America hasn't folded up shop. What is the real truth? Perhaps one should make themselves well informed and read the law for themselves instead of quoting others and being cliché. My favorite policy is: READ EVERYTHING ENTIRELY AND THEN GET SEVERAL DIFFERENT SOURCES TO FORMULATE AN OPINION FOR YOURSELF. I will ply a few simple questions and perhaps we might clear some things up. 1) How truly disastrous is NHC? Will we have earthquakes? Will America immediately become socialist or even worse? Will we somehow enter the last days of earth? Will the Financial sector bottom out? Will the sky turn to flames and spew brimstone down upon us? Will America turn into a "Mad Max" scenario? 2) Why isn't Frances' or Canada’s' financial structure falling apart from their NHC seams? A minority (outweighed by the number of cases in existence), of Canada’s' citizens come to America to receive treatment... less than what this blog would have people believe. Indeed, Americans are even leaving here to live in France! How outrageous!?! Did anyone watch the movie "Sicko" by Michael Moore? Outside of his being overly pro health care, he does provide some interesting facts to his position. It's something that should be watched by anyone debating this issue. 3) Who takes the biggest loss from NHC? The Lower class? Middle class? Upper class? According to Yes! magazine, it's the Upper class and Corporate America. "It could be the fact that the health care industry, the top spender on Capitol Hill, spent $183.3 million on lobbying just in the second half of 2005, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.com. And in the 2003–2004 election cycle, they spent $123.7 million on election campaigns, according to the Center for Responsive Politics." That's a lot of money to "Have it your way." With bought lobbyists and politicians, big business has made a loud statement: We don't care about individuals. When over 70% of America’s citizens wanting NHC, it explains why the house and senate were so "divided" on the topic. Would America stand the test of time and brave criticism to be more like France- where everyone is taxed a percentage of their income, regardless of how much they make, and companies aren't allowed to shuffle or hide their income in loopholes, America just might end up with a torrential supply of income. I fear that America has become an Ebenezer Scrooge; a greedy mad man, unconcerned with his family or his neighbors unless it suits his greed. Unfortunately, America has never been completely fair to its citizens as far as this is concerned. America is supposed to be the most advanced industrialized country on Earth; yet, it's just too clouded by individualistic oh-well-it-wasn't-me personalities. We spend hundreds of billions on wars that have no merit, yet there's more debate over helping our own citizens, than killing people in foreign countries for no reason. I'm beginning to see a pattern... Is it possible that Americans put themselves on witch-hunts? Going after huge so-called problematic issues to cover up the true nature of what's going on? It seems to be not a debate over health care, but healthy pocketbooks. According to the W.H.O. (World Health Organization), "Social health insurance: contributions for health care are collected from workers, self-employed people, enterprises and the government. These monies are pooled into a social health insurance fund or funds. Universal coverage can be achieved with this type of financing scheme only if contributions are made on behalf of each member of the population and contributions are individualized based on people's ability to pay. For this reason most social health insurance schemes combine different sources of funds, and the government contributes on behalf of people who cannot afford to pay themselves." This is not talking about changing America from a representative democracy to a socialist government. It is explaining how the system should work. So, "POOF!" goes the theory of America becoming socialistic. While it's true that Canadians may wait longer to receive their health care, their average life expectancy and infant mortality rates still out-rank Americas'. While researching Canada’s' Health system, I found nothing that states Canadians can't get proper health care and are forced to come to America to receive these services. Has anyone thought about the fact that Americas' NHC system won't be fully implemented until 2018? It does, however, provide that the "high risk pool" still be allowed until 2014 and then will become illegal. This means that insurance companies will still have time to deliberate the care of more serious patients. The whole system as of yet is a work in progress; a progress that we are all supposed to have a say in. In the laymen’s terms, a country will progress quickly if it's healthier. By increasing healthier lifestyles, you will increase productivity, profit, the mortality rates, citizen spending, and so on. What's so bad about that? So what if you spend a few dollars out of your pocket to save MILLIONS of lives. How incredibly selfish we are! You'd spend that much wasting money on things you don’t need than something worthwhile. Before people begin to issue out death certificates on the new NHC, lets see what happens first. Lord knows, we have enough negativity in America as it is. Wikipedia Comparison of Health Care (Canada/America) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_the_health_care_systems_in_Canada_and_the_United_States World Health Organization http://www.who.int/features/qa/35/en/ Yes! Magazine http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/health-care-for-all/health-care-its-what-ails-us Wikipedia Forms of Government http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_forms_of_government The French Health Care System http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9994.php It is human nature not to show concern or empathy, watching humans die, while knowing that your intervention can save them. The “9/11” incident would say that statement is far from reality. In a moment of crisis, local municipal workers (firefighters, police, and paramedics) and civilians came together to aid those in need. Their thinking wasn’t centered on the financial burden of increased taxes. In that scenario, over five-thousand people lost their lives. How is it immoral, unreasonable, or unethical then, to defray a few dollars of income for your taxes to save millions of lives? Who doesn’t have a heart that goes out to the poor and sick children of third world countries? Even if a person never paid a penny to non-profit organizations, their heart may wish that they had the finances to do so. The answers to these questions, relies upon ones’ ethical morality, or plainly, parsimonious view. Views, such as these, are generally evoked when a person might feel as though there’s no reciprocation. Dr. W. responded to the Nationalized Health Care issue on the website “www.healthcare.procon.org.” His words illuminated his true sense of clinging on to his possessions, that he didn’t want to lose another dollar to the government in which he felt was, “truly unsustainable.” Dr. W.s’ contrived would strike a chord of disharmony among Americans. Often, events of change are defensively charged off by those who would possess these less than subtle attributes. For those who seek truth, it becomes easy to discern the true nature of the intentions of remarks like those of Dr. W.
When taking a closer look at this argument, let’s first separate this complex issue to gain more of an understanding of how it works. One such factor is the problem of integrating a system that offers an insanely expensive service for low or no cost when every resource to this system thrives upon profit. To paint a picture where it is easier to identify problems with this issue, imagine the equivalent being a “Mc Donald’s’” which serves food for free to homeless and unemployed individuals and families. How would (or could) you keep donations coming in to sustain the organization? Donations would have to consistently flow in at an extremely high volume to keep up with the demand. The donations (actual food, equipment, the building, money) would have to also be scrutinized so that it is certain consumable items are free of bacteria, that workers have acquired the proper licenses/certifications to work with food and to operate the machinery, and finally, that the people receiving the services aren’t subjected to harsh chemicals and building environments (asbestos, broken glass, wet floors, sharp edges, etc.). Workers would have to be hired or volunteer their services to operate the organization and, somehow, the overhead (maintenance, upkeep. electricity, gas, waste disposal, water and sewage, rent, and taxes) would have to be routinely taken care of. When computing that not only does the organization have to purchase product from other companies to manufacture its product, it also has to purchase other goods and services to get its product out and to conduct business. In the medical field, the suppliers of medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, prosthesis, and chemicals create a huge problem; they all want to get paid. All of the products and services are extremely expensive and to hire the medical professional staff to service and implement these products belies yet another incredibly huge expense. Add to this to the mixture; Medicare takes care of Americas’ citizens over 65. It is widely known that medical expenses exponentially increase as the age of 65 is reached and surpassed. This means that more medical care has to be provided for the elderly than someone in their 30’s. Overhead for the cost of operating such an organization easily runs into the tens of millions per quarter. In Americas Commercialist society, it creates a sense that the one with the most money is the strongest, even though, it may not be true. However, having a lot more money ensures the capability of being healthier by being able to afford any kind of necessary preventative care versus not having as much money to manage. If the government picked up the cost of Medicare (as it has), of course, working citizens would have to pay for it in their taxes. Here lays another problematic situation. The issue isn’t that Americans would have to pay more, its’ that while most citizens pay their fair share into the taxes, the most prosperous of them don’t do so and the less fortunate are forced to bear the huge financial weight. Having large sums of money allows one to ascertain certain privileges such as hiring tax attorneys to find loopholes in tax laws so that they can preserve more of their earnings. This undermines the skeletal structure of the Americas’ tax system. The money that would be used from these well to do citizens would offset the tax structure and alleviate the pressure of heavy taxes imposed on the middle and lower class citizens. The poor and middle class are taxed into submission because the money has to come from somewhere. If the rich aren’t willing to part with their money, then Americas financial weight shifts to the next class lower class; middle class America. Why, if more than 70 percent of Americans want health care, has the NHC issue being so hotly debated? Aren’t American citizens’ desires, ideas, and wishes supposed to be represented by those they elected? Then if 70 percent of Americans want health care, why are their government almost equally divided on the issue? According to Yes! Online magazine, “It could be the fact that the health care industry, the top spender on Capitol Hill, spent $183.3 million on lobbying just in the second half of 2005, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.com. And in the 2003–2004 election cycle, they spent $123.7 million on election campaigns, according to the Center for Responsive Politics” (Yes!). Social health insurance: contributions for health care are collected from workers, self-employed people, enterprises and the government. These monies are pooled into a social health insurance fund or funds. Universal coverage can be achieved with this type of financing scheme only if contributions are made on behalf of each member of the population and contributions are individualized based on people’s ability to pay. For this reason most social health insurance schemes combine different sources of funds, and the government contributes on behalf of people who cannot afford to pay themselves.
Before I delve into this topic, let me be perfectly clear: I understand both sides to this argument and am involved personally in both sides. My family is split republican/democrat. We have something to lose on both sides and I have discussed with all of them what NHC means to both sides. It becomes painfully obvious the main concerns of both parties once the topic is on the table. I began to do my own research on the topic, finding truths on both sides and even writing papers in college on the debate.
It’s understandable that people work hard to get what they have. It’s perfectly arguable that someone that works hard doesn’t want to part with what they worked so hard to get. Believe me. I understand hard work. I was an automatic upset operator for a tier one automotive supplier. For those of you who don’t know what that is, I hot forged axles for trucks and cars. My job was one step above working in a foundry. It was back-breaking work. The pay was substantial ($55,000-$100,000+ per year) and the work dangerous. I had excellent health care until the company reduced it to HMOs’ with limited coverage. Mind you, at this business, workers lost eyes, digits, limbs and life regularly. I could afford most of what I wanted but money was slim if I really wanted to go into business for myself or go on vacation. So do I understand losing something I worked so hard for? YES.

One thing is for sure; people scare easy. It’s no surprise that politicians use scare tactics to their advantage to vie for political positioning or accomplishing whatever agenda they have before them.
It’s interesting, however, how people are quick to discount the ideology behind NHC (nationalized Health Care). I see no one on here, in my class debates, on the news, or in congress offering a real solid solution to the present NHC law, only negative conjecture and abstract words. It’s tiresome to listen to people using doomsday scare tactics and assuming the worst out of what hasn’t even taken hold yet. According to many, because of NHC, America will plunge into some kind of indescribable, unspeakable torment. I’ve heard everything from death panels to financial destruction to socialism and as of yet, America hasn’t folded up shop. What is the real truth? Perhaps one should make themselves well informed and read the law for themselves instead of quoting others and being cliché. My favorite policy is: READ EVERYTHING ENTIRELY AND THEN GET SEVERAL DIFFERENT SOURCES TO FORMULATE AN OPINION FOR YOURSELF. I will ply a few simple questions and perhaps we might clear some things up.
1) How truly disastrous is NHC? Will we have earthquakes? Will America immediately become socialist or even worse? Will we somehow enter the last days of earth? Will the Financial sector bottom out? Will the sky turn to flames and spew brimstone down upon us? Will America turn into a “Mad Max” scenario?

2) Why isn’t Frances’ or Canada’s’ financial structure falling apart from their NHC seams? A minority (outweighed by the number of cases in existence), of Canada’s’ citizens come to America to receive treatment… less than what this blog would have people believe. Indeed, Americans are even leaving here to live in France! How outrageous!?! Did anyone watch the movie “Sicko” by Michael Moore? Outside of his being overly pro health care, he does provide some interesting facts to his position. It’s something that should be watched by anyone debating this issue.
3) Who takes the biggest loss from NHC? The Lower class? Middle class? Upper class?
According to Yes! magazine, it’s the Upper class and Corporate America. “It could be the fact that the health care industry, the top spender on Capitol Hill, spent $183.3 million on lobbying just in the second half of 2005, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.com. And in the 2003–2004 election cycle, they spent $123.7 million on election campaigns, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.” That’s a lot of money to “Have it your way.” With bought lobbyists and politicians, big business has made a loud statement: We don’t care about individuals. When over 70% of America’s citizens wanting NHC, it explains why the house and senate were so “divided” on the topic.
Would America stand the test of time and brave criticism to be more like France- where everyone is taxed a percentage of their income, regardless of how much they make, and companies aren’t allowed to shuffle or hide their income in loopholes, America just might end up with a torrential supply of income. I fear that America has become an Ebenezer Scrooge; a greedy mad man, unconcerned with his family or his neighbors unless it suits his greed.

Unfortunately, America has never been completely fair to its citizens as far as this is concerned. America is supposed to be the most advanced industrialized country on Earth; yet, it’s just too clouded by individualistic oh-well-it-wasn’t-me personalities. We spend hundreds of billions on wars that have no merit, yet there’s more debate over helping our own citizens, than killing people in foreign countries for no reason. I’m beginning to see a pattern…
Is it possible that Americans put themselves on witch-hunts? Going after huge so-called problematic issues to cover up the true nature of what’s going on? It seems to be not a debate over health care, but healthy pocketbooks.
According to the W.H.O. (World Health Organization), “Social health insurance: contributions for health care are collected from workers, self-employed people, enterprises and the government. These monies are pooled into a social health insurance fund or funds. Universal coverage can be achieved with this type of financing scheme only if contributions are made on behalf of each member of the population and contributions are individualized based on people’s ability to pay. For this reason most social health insurance schemes combine different sources of funds, and the government contributes on behalf of people who cannot afford to pay themselves.” This is not talking about changing America from a representative democracy to a socialist government. It is explaining how the system should work. So, “POOF!” goes the theory of America becoming socialistic.
While it’s true that Canadians may wait longer to receive their health care, their average life expectancy and infant mortality rates still out-rank Americas’. While researching Canada’s’ Health system, I found nothing that states Canadians can’t get proper health care and are forced to come to America to receive these services.

Has anyone thought about the fact that Americas’ NHC system won’t be fully implemented until 2018? It does, however, provide that the “high risk pool” still be allowed until 2014 and then will become illegal. This means that insurance companies will still have time to deliberate the care of more serious patients. The whole system as of yet is a work in progress; a progress that we are all supposed to have a say in.
In the laymen’s terms, a country will progress quickly if it’s healthier. By increasing healthier lifestyles, you will increase productivity, profit, the mortality rates, citizen spending, and so on. What’s so bad about that? So what if you spend a few dollars out of your pocket to save MILLIONS of lives. How incredibly selfish we are! You’d spend that much wasting money on things you don’t need than something worthwhile.
Before people begin to issue out death certificates on the new NHC, lets see what happens first. Lord knows, we have enough negativity in America as it is.

Wikipedia Comparison of Health Care (Canada/America)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_the_health_care_systems_in_Canada_and_the_United_States

World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/features/qa/35/en/

Yes! Magazine
http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/health-care-for-all/health-care-its-what-ails-us

Wikipedia Forms of Government
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_forms_of_government

The French Health Care System
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9994.php

]]> By: Why are There Collectivists? | John Goodman | NCPA http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-53317 Why are There Collectivists? | John Goodman | NCPA Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:31:27 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-53317 [...] a previous Health Alert I argued that the real issue in health reform is not health care. It is collectivism. The natural [...] [...] a previous Health Alert I argued that the real issue in health reform is not health care. It is collectivism. The natural [...]

]]> By: OldSailor http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-52777 OldSailor Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:56:54 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-52777 In Obama’s State of The Union address, there was a momentary slip in the so-called Health Care Reform. The President actually said that the administration is pursuing “Health Insurance Reform”. From what I have read, the pending legislation is really about bringing the insurance industry to heel just as the administration has done to the banking/financial sector and the automobile manufacturers. Most people would agree that health care delivery is a patchwork that does not consistently deliver high quality care across the population or even across the country. Throwing billions (Trillions?) of dollars at the problem will never work as long as the politicians are in charge of doling out the money. When the current, pending bills from House and Senate are each 2,000 pages, we all know that each bill is riddled with massive problems and special interest provisions. “War and Peace” is less than 1,500 pages for Pete’s sake! The Obama/Pelosi/Reid troika seems to be blinded by what they see as their legacy being “Universal Health Care” for everyone. What they do not see is the total dissatisfaction with how the bills are going to be punitive to the entire population, with the exception of the unions’ (government unions) of course. This whole process is reminiscent of a line in “Animal Farm” by George Orwell in which the ruling class (pigs) state that: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others" In Obama’s State of The Union address, there was a momentary slip in the so-called Health Care Reform. The President actually said that the administration is pursuing “Health Insurance Reform”. From what I have read, the pending legislation is really about bringing the insurance industry to heel just as the administration has done to the banking/financial sector and the automobile manufacturers. Most people would agree that health care delivery is a patchwork that does not consistently deliver high quality care across the population or even across the country. Throwing billions (Trillions?) of dollars at the problem will never work as long as the politicians are in charge of doling out the money. When the current, pending bills from House and Senate are each 2,000 pages, we all know that each bill is riddled with massive problems and special interest provisions. “War and Peace” is less than 1,500 pages for Pete’s sake! The Obama/Pelosi/Reid troika seems to be blinded by what they see as their legacy being “Universal Health Care” for everyone. What they do not see is the total dissatisfaction with how the bills are going to be punitive to the entire population, with the exception of the unions’ (government unions) of course. This whole process is reminiscent of a line in “Animal Farm” by George Orwell in which the ruling class (pigs) state that: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”

]]> By: John R. Graham http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-52770 John R. Graham Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:22:28 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-52770 "Mike" (above) states that employers control our access to medical services in the U.S. But his "universal health care" seems to be run by government. If we had (for historical reasons) employer-based housing, so that every employed American lived in a house chosen by his (or his spouse's employer), would the appropriate reform be to put government in charge of the housing? No, it would be for the government to let families control their own housing dollars, by reforming the tax code. Nevertheless, he is right that the employer-based system is idiosyncratic to the U.S. and harmful. In other countries, health insurance is portable (although the Dutch seem to be experiencing a rise in group health benefits: http://tinyurl.com/n9lcrz). As to the more philosophical question, I think the drive by the political class to take over Americans' access to medical services is driven by international class envy. Think about it: If you are the Secretary of Defense, or State, or Treasury, you are the Big Cheese at an international meeting of your peers. If you are the U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services, you look like kind of a loser when you meet your Canadian or British peers. The same goes for the various bureaucrats at lower levels of the system. “Mike” (above) states that employers control our access to medical services in the U.S. But his “universal health care” seems to be run by government. If we had (for historical reasons) employer-based housing, so that every employed American lived in a house chosen by his (or his spouse’s employer), would the appropriate reform be to put government in charge of the housing? No, it would be for the government to let families control their own housing dollars, by reforming the tax code.

Nevertheless, he is right that the employer-based system is idiosyncratic to the U.S. and harmful. In other countries, health insurance is portable (although the Dutch seem to be experiencing a rise in group health benefits: http://tinyurl.com/n9lcrz).

As to the more philosophical question, I think the drive by the political class to take over Americans’ access to medical services is driven by international class envy. Think about it: If you are the Secretary of Defense, or State, or Treasury, you are the Big Cheese at an international meeting of your peers. If you are the U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services, you look like kind of a loser when you meet your Canadian or British peers. The same goes for the various bureaucrats at lower levels of the system.

]]> By: hoads http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-52720 hoads Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:05:38 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-52720 "I don’t recall a recent example of an American being intellectually honest enough to admit that the real reason for national health insurance is that in matters of health, private decision-making is socially intolerable. If you know of an exception, post it in the comment section." While I haven't dug up exact sources, I have read either in Congressional testimony or from some liberal think tank statements that individuals should not be allowed to determine individual insurance benefits because of the concept of "everybody in, nobody out" which is prominent within the literature of healthcare reform. Proponents of nationalizing healthcare believe the government should determine the actuarial value of an insurance policy because they believe everyone should be paying for a baseline of healthcare benefits determined by government. And that basket of benefits include maternity and infant child care, drug and alcohol rehab, mental health therapies, preventive screenings on top of treatment and hospitalization for acute and chronic medical care. And, there is also the concept of "healthcare equity" that is rampant within liberal circles and promotes the idea that "overutilization" of healthcare needs to be regulated by government in order to spread healthcare resources to all. So while there are probably no headlines in mainstream media that read private healthcare decisions are socially intolerable, scratching below the surface reveals an ideology that relies on collectivizing all healthcare decisions. “I don’t recall a recent example of an American being intellectually honest enough to admit that the real reason for national health insurance is that in matters of health, private decision-making is socially intolerable. If you know of an exception, post it in the comment section.”

While I haven’t dug up exact sources, I have read either in Congressional testimony or from some liberal think tank statements that individuals should not be allowed to determine individual insurance benefits because of the concept of “everybody in, nobody out” which is prominent within the literature of healthcare reform. Proponents of nationalizing healthcare believe the government should determine the actuarial value of an insurance policy because they believe everyone should be paying for a baseline of healthcare benefits determined by government. And that basket of benefits include maternity and infant child care, drug and alcohol rehab, mental health therapies, preventive screenings on top of treatment and hospitalization for acute and chronic medical care.

And, there is also the concept of “healthcare equity” that is rampant within liberal circles and promotes the idea that “overutilization” of healthcare needs to be regulated by government in order to spread healthcare resources to all.

So while there are probably no headlines in mainstream media that read private healthcare decisions are socially intolerable, scratching below the surface reveals an ideology that relies on collectivizing all healthcare decisions.

]]> By: Bobby Morris http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-52715 Bobby Morris Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:24:20 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-52715 Mr. Goodman, well put! You are correct about the misleading rhetoric that confuses so many. The problems with our system of health care are indeed numerous. I could not agree more with you and Mr. Chiarelli's comment about the needs of each individual being different strikes a resounding chord. I am fairly new to your site so I may be beating a dead horse here, but one of the huge problems with the cost factor of health care in our country stems directly from the pharmaceutical manufacturers. Why oh why do we have to foot the bill for advertising of prescription drugs which are obviously only availableby prescription. Why, because these mega corporations need justification for their budgets and write offs on their taxes! It is preposterous to think that advertising these drugs to the general public is a public service. The very notion that because a commercial telling you that a particular prescription drug is what you need and then suggesting that you ask your doctor for it is reprehensible. Health care as we know it need not be this way. Mr. Goodman, well put! You are correct about the misleading rhetoric that confuses so many. The problems with our system of health care are indeed numerous. I could not agree more with you and Mr. Chiarelli’s comment about the needs of each individual being different strikes a resounding chord. I am fairly new to your site so I may be beating a dead horse here, but one of the huge problems with the cost factor of health care in our country stems directly from the pharmaceutical manufacturers. Why oh why do we have to foot the bill for advertising of prescription drugs which are obviously only availableby prescription. Why, because these mega corporations need justification for their budgets and write offs on their taxes! It is preposterous to think that advertising these drugs to the general public is a public service. The very notion that because a commercial telling you that a particular prescription drug is what you need and then suggesting that you ask your doctor for it is reprehensible. Health care as we know it need not be this way.

]]> By: Joseph Chiarelli http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-52704 Joseph Chiarelli Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:24:35 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-52704 In my opinion, healthcare is very personal and each individual is unique – physically, emotionally, and economically. Private enterprises or government agencies that make healthcare decisions for individuals based on groupings, statistical samples extrapolated to broad populations, or glittering generalities will, by definition, create issues, errors, and mistakes for some individuals. This process creates resentment, resistance, and attempts at retribution on those who made the decisions/created the rules. As these issues, errors, and mistakes become known, the effort to compensate and either correct or avoid these issues, errors, and mistakes in the future increases the cost of providing care. However, the underlying issue – personal choice – is never addressed so the cycle continues. It appears that if a system of options is provided to individuals to make their own choices – with guidance and help to avoid choices that are deleterious either to them or to the population/ country as a whole - the underlying root cause can be addressed. In my opinion, healthcare is very personal and each individual is unique – physically, emotionally, and economically. Private enterprises or government agencies that make healthcare decisions for individuals based on groupings, statistical samples extrapolated to broad populations, or glittering generalities will, by definition, create issues, errors, and mistakes for some individuals. This process creates resentment, resistance, and attempts at retribution on those who made the decisions/created the rules. As these issues, errors, and mistakes become known, the effort to compensate and either correct or avoid these issues, errors, and mistakes in the future increases the cost of providing care. However, the underlying issue – personal choice – is never addressed so the cycle continues. It appears that if a system of options is provided to individuals to make their own choices – with guidance and help to avoid choices that are deleterious either to them or to the population/ country as a whole – the underlying root cause can be addressed.

]]> By: Jennifer Siefert http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-is-the-health-care-debate-really-about/comment-page-1/#comment-52692 Jennifer Siefert Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:03:53 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8561#comment-52692 Unfortunately, most consumers of health care do not know how much the care actually costs. Any model where people are disconnected from the true cost of care cannot be sustained. Certainly, an attitude of "let the rich pay for it" or "let the people with rich plans pay a high tax on them - except for union members" is not going to improve things. You are not going to bring down the cost of care without changing behavior. I would rather have my employer offer me a lower insurance premium for exercising regularly or not smoking than have the federal government ban smoking or send me to jail if I don't purchase the "right" level of coverage for my family. Unfortunately, most consumers of health care do not know how much the care actually costs. Any model where people are disconnected from the true cost of care cannot be sustained. Certainly, an attitude of “let the rich pay for it” or “let the people with rich plans pay a high tax on them – except for union members” is not going to improve things. You are not going to bring down the cost of care without changing behavior. I would rather have my employer offer me a lower insurance premium for exercising regularly or not smoking than have the federal government ban smoking or send me to jail if I don’t purchase the “right” level of coverage for my family.

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