Health care reform debate
IMO, both sides of the issue are guilty of simplistic arguments. On the conservative/Republican side, those who state "The US has the best health-care system in the world" are indulging in the worst kind of political chauvinism. Undoubtedly, you can point to Canadians who come south of the border when they want procedures that are not readily available in their own country, BUT there are also US citizens who travel abroad for their health care under various circumstances. This proves nothing.
On the other side, those who accept the president's assurances that the new spending will be offset by savings in other areas are living in a dreamworld. You only need to look at how the actual recorded costs of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid compare to the predictions when the programs were set up to realize that costs are always greater (often much greater) than the optimistic projections of lawmakers. If the American public ultimately decides to accept an increased role of government in provision of health care, that is one thing, but the decision should be made with eyes wide open. The costs of health care do not go away with the wave of a legislative wand. They are either paid for as they come up, or they are paid for in advance either by insurance premiums or by increased taxes, depending on how they are being financed.
Oh, and by the way, prohibiting the insurance companies from turning people away for preexisting conditions guarantees they will be spending more money, which in turn guarantees (guess what) that they will have to take more money in to cover the disbursements. Hmmm, wonder where that money will be coming from?
One thing I am unalterably opposed to is the mandating of abortion as a standard health-care benefit. For those who believe that an unborn human does not suddenly and miraculously take on human life when he or she passes out of the birth canal, this is unconscionable.
On the other side, those who accept the president's assurances that the new spending will be offset by savings in other areas are living in a dreamworld. You only need to look at how the actual recorded costs of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid compare to the predictions when the programs were set up to realize that costs are always greater (often much greater) than the optimistic projections of lawmakers. If the American public ultimately decides to accept an increased role of government in provision of health care, that is one thing, but the decision should be made with eyes wide open. The costs of health care do not go away with the wave of a legislative wand. They are either paid for as they come up, or they are paid for in advance either by insurance premiums or by increased taxes, depending on how they are being financed.
Oh, and by the way, prohibiting the insurance companies from turning people away for preexisting conditions guarantees they will be spending more money, which in turn guarantees (guess what) that they will have to take more money in to cover the disbursements. Hmmm, wonder where that money will be coming from?
One thing I am unalterably opposed to is the mandating of abortion as a standard health-care benefit. For those who believe that an unborn human does not suddenly and miraculously take on human life when he or she passes out of the birth canal, this is unconscionable.