Why I support health care reform
I know... there are several people on my friends list who are saying right now "Because you're a liberal... duh..."
Well, yes, I am. My basic philosophy is that we're here to contribute to the common good. That's the kernel. I have a more picturesque way of describing it that's all about being a cog in the great cosmic machine. We turn on our own axis, but impart our energy to the cogs around us that we mesh with. Success in life is measured by how much energy you can contribute to keep all the gears around you going, and from one to the next, ultimately to the whole universe.
But that's neither here nor there. I support universal health care, not because I'm a liberal, but because I think it's the most efficient way to approach the problem of keeping people healthy. Yes, government subsidized and managed health care would be more efficient than leaving our health in the hands of market forces.
That's not just talk. The sad truth is, countries with socialized health care have, in general, better outcomes than we do with our business-managed health care.
That's right, folks. Our system, the most expensive per patient in the world, is way down there in the pack when it comes to quality. If you've been following the debate, you've probably seen the numbers. We lag in life expectancy, infant mortality, and any number of other statistical measures of health care success.
Why? The direct answer is, because our health care is so expensive, a lot of people avoid having to use it. So they don't see a doctor until they are in an acute stage of illness. They need more care at that point and their prognosis is poorer.
But I have a more general answer. There are some things that don't mesh well with free-market economics.
That's right. The "invisible hand of the market" may be a good way to run a retail business, but for some services, it just mucks things up.
Take, for example, water. We all need it. Without it, we'll be dead within days. So, do you want to be at the mercy of an entrepreneur when you're thirsty? Will that glass of water suddenly be $5,000 because you need it so badly?
To avoid that, and to spread the large cost of building a water and sewer system, we trust our need for water to the government.
There are two things about water that make it logical to entrust it's distribution to the government:
1. Building a water system is very expensive
2. Having water is not optional. If the price gets too high, we can't really say, "Forget it. I'll go back to having water when the price comes down or someone else offers it at a better price."
Those two principals apply to health care, as well. Building hospitals, training doctors and nurses, developing life saving drugs and treatments is very expensive. And at one time or another, we all need health care.
But why will government manage health care better than the private insurance companies?
Government and business do not work on the same principles. To be successful in business, you want to take in as much money as possible and give in return just as much goods and services as will keep your customers coming back -- not a bit more.
To be successful in government, the mandate is to give out as much goods and services as you possibly can, while taking in as little money as you can get by on. That's what will get people to vote for you.
It's the opposite.
So, logically, who's going to give us the most health care for our dollar? The insurance company whose responsibility is to its shareholders, to get as much money in premiums as possible, and pay out as little in claims as possible? Or the government, which is going to try to give out as much service as possible without raising taxes, which displeases the people it is responsible to: the voters.
There's an argument out there that the government screws up everything. $6,000 toilet seats! $300 bolts!
Yet, if you want to know how the government will run health care, just look at the health care systems it already runs, like Medicare. The truth is, surveys show that people on Medicare are more satisfied with the service they are getting that people covered by private insurance.
Also, people in Britain, Canada and France are much more satisfied with their health care system than people are in the United States. You hear of isolated cases where Canadians came to the U.S. because they had to wait too long at home. But I'm hearing from my Canadian friends that they are pretty pissed about the slander against their health care system -- something they think is pretty damn good.
You know which health care system generally gets called "best in the world?" France. Yup, those baguette eating Frogs have a government-run health care system second to none. So, can you really argue that the French are much better at government than we are?
But lets put all that aside for a moment. If we get government run health care, who will benefit the most?
The answer is: Business
Right now, our businesses have to compete on the world stage. But they're being held back by the ever expanding cost of providing health insurance for their employees. Japanese companies don't have that cost. We need to level the playing field.
You know who else will benefit? Small businesses. Right now, small businesses can seldom afford health insurance for the employees or even the boss.
You know who else will benefit? EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.
Look at me. I don't have any children. I've never had any children, and considering my age, I'll never have any children. Yet, I cheerfully pay my school taxes. Why? Because society at large benefits from educating our children. I don't have to have a child sitting in school to benefit from the public school system.
I think health care works pretty much the same way.
I'd rather have people appointed by people I elected managing my health care than an insurance company I have no power over whatsoever. I'll sleep better knowing that every pregnant woman has access to prenatal care, even though I'm never going to be pregnant. I'll work with a lighter heart knowing that my continued medical care for my heart condition is not dependent on staying at my job.
The most amazing thing about the health care battle is that we're waging it now, not thirty or forty years ago. We are lagging behind the industrialized world!
Health care reform will:
1. Boost the economy. We can stop pounding money down a rat hole.
2. Help business
3. Make us healthier
4. Save money
So, let's stop playing games and get the job done!
Well, yes, I am. My basic philosophy is that we're here to contribute to the common good. That's the kernel. I have a more picturesque way of describing it that's all about being a cog in the great cosmic machine. We turn on our own axis, but impart our energy to the cogs around us that we mesh with. Success in life is measured by how much energy you can contribute to keep all the gears around you going, and from one to the next, ultimately to the whole universe.
But that's neither here nor there. I support universal health care, not because I'm a liberal, but because I think it's the most efficient way to approach the problem of keeping people healthy. Yes, government subsidized and managed health care would be more efficient than leaving our health in the hands of market forces.
That's not just talk. The sad truth is, countries with socialized health care have, in general, better outcomes than we do with our business-managed health care.
That's right, folks. Our system, the most expensive per patient in the world, is way down there in the pack when it comes to quality. If you've been following the debate, you've probably seen the numbers. We lag in life expectancy, infant mortality, and any number of other statistical measures of health care success.
Why? The direct answer is, because our health care is so expensive, a lot of people avoid having to use it. So they don't see a doctor until they are in an acute stage of illness. They need more care at that point and their prognosis is poorer.
But I have a more general answer. There are some things that don't mesh well with free-market economics.
That's right. The "invisible hand of the market" may be a good way to run a retail business, but for some services, it just mucks things up.
Take, for example, water. We all need it. Without it, we'll be dead within days. So, do you want to be at the mercy of an entrepreneur when you're thirsty? Will that glass of water suddenly be $5,000 because you need it so badly?
To avoid that, and to spread the large cost of building a water and sewer system, we trust our need for water to the government.
There are two things about water that make it logical to entrust it's distribution to the government:
1. Building a water system is very expensive
2. Having water is not optional. If the price gets too high, we can't really say, "Forget it. I'll go back to having water when the price comes down or someone else offers it at a better price."
Those two principals apply to health care, as well. Building hospitals, training doctors and nurses, developing life saving drugs and treatments is very expensive. And at one time or another, we all need health care.
But why will government manage health care better than the private insurance companies?
Government and business do not work on the same principles. To be successful in business, you want to take in as much money as possible and give in return just as much goods and services as will keep your customers coming back -- not a bit more.
To be successful in government, the mandate is to give out as much goods and services as you possibly can, while taking in as little money as you can get by on. That's what will get people to vote for you.
It's the opposite.
So, logically, who's going to give us the most health care for our dollar? The insurance company whose responsibility is to its shareholders, to get as much money in premiums as possible, and pay out as little in claims as possible? Or the government, which is going to try to give out as much service as possible without raising taxes, which displeases the people it is responsible to: the voters.
There's an argument out there that the government screws up everything. $6,000 toilet seats! $300 bolts!
Yet, if you want to know how the government will run health care, just look at the health care systems it already runs, like Medicare. The truth is, surveys show that people on Medicare are more satisfied with the service they are getting that people covered by private insurance.
Also, people in Britain, Canada and France are much more satisfied with their health care system than people are in the United States. You hear of isolated cases where Canadians came to the U.S. because they had to wait too long at home. But I'm hearing from my Canadian friends that they are pretty pissed about the slander against their health care system -- something they think is pretty damn good.
You know which health care system generally gets called "best in the world?" France. Yup, those baguette eating Frogs have a government-run health care system second to none. So, can you really argue that the French are much better at government than we are?
But lets put all that aside for a moment. If we get government run health care, who will benefit the most?
The answer is: Business
Right now, our businesses have to compete on the world stage. But they're being held back by the ever expanding cost of providing health insurance for their employees. Japanese companies don't have that cost. We need to level the playing field.
You know who else will benefit? Small businesses. Right now, small businesses can seldom afford health insurance for the employees or even the boss.
You know who else will benefit? EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.
Look at me. I don't have any children. I've never had any children, and considering my age, I'll never have any children. Yet, I cheerfully pay my school taxes. Why? Because society at large benefits from educating our children. I don't have to have a child sitting in school to benefit from the public school system.
I think health care works pretty much the same way.
I'd rather have people appointed by people I elected managing my health care than an insurance company I have no power over whatsoever. I'll sleep better knowing that every pregnant woman has access to prenatal care, even though I'm never going to be pregnant. I'll work with a lighter heart knowing that my continued medical care for my heart condition is not dependent on staying at my job.
The most amazing thing about the health care battle is that we're waging it now, not thirty or forty years ago. We are lagging behind the industrialized world!
Health care reform will:
1. Boost the economy. We can stop pounding money down a rat hole.
2. Help business
3. Make us healthier
4. Save money
So, let's stop playing games and get the job done!