Milestones 7/8/09

By Miles H Barber
What is this perceived myth that universal health care will make America well?
Yes, there are issues with our health care system and most of those could be solved quite easily by simplifying insurance benefits at the Federal level. State control of health benefits has left us with an archaic patchwork quilt of requirements.
For our major companies to provide benefits throughout the country they must provide different plans which comply with over 800 separate mandated benefits required by various state laws.
It would also do away with idiotic state laws like California’s AB 1672 which is a convoluted formula for rating small group health policies.
Now if you think our health care system sucks, let’s take a look at what our government has done with the last health care program they took over, Medicare.
The trustee’s of the Medicare Insurance Fund report to Congress each year. In 2007 the trustees reported that Medicare will become insolvent in 2019.
Last year, before the major economic turn down, the trustees reported the projected date for insolvency had been moved up two years to 2017.
Since congress is covered by their own privately designed medical insurance plan they are exempt from contributing to or receiving benefits from Medicare.
Therefore, to stave off prior and current insolvency issues, they passed a law to simply begin reimbursing providers (doctors and hospitals) at a lower rate for services.
Currently, government Medicare reimburses providers at about .50 cents on the dollar.
This means seniors must pay out of their pocket for the balance of their expenses. Of course, not many seniors on Social Security can afford to do that.
The result is called rationed health care. The wealthy can afford to pay the difference or purchase supplemental care.
The assumption that government run National Healthcare would be different is the myth.
Vice President Biden has already indicated that under the proposed new universal plan seniors should not expect even the same benefits and services they have been used to under Medicare.
Wow! What an improvement over our current system.
The idea of National Healthcare is not about health. It is about control! Congress wants control of the billions in funds paid by employers and individuals that would go into one gigantic rationing pot.
Most likely illegal aliens would be covered in the name of “fairness”.
Let’s look at the facts for just a moment. Congressional leaders keep pointing to the 40 million uninsured in America. (Keep in mind that 12 million are illegal immigrants and another 10 million are wealthy enough they self-insure).
Government wants to change our entire system for 20 million uninsured?
Who is speaking up for the 265 million INSURED AMERICANS, of which over 80 percent are satisfied with their current health plan?
Why do the liberals in government always ignore the obvious? They should take a lesson from business. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
If you believe that government can make health care better you probably also believe in Santa Clause and the good fairy that comes in to do the after dinner dishes.
While our current health system has flaws that often are resolved through arbitration, a government plan would be a simple “take it and like it” plan with no recourse.
That is an idea that could really make you sick.

Miles H. Barber can be reached by email at: SCWeekly2004@yahoo.com