I, as I suspect most Americans out there, have been hearing about the ongoing healthcare debate taking place currently on Capitol Hill. I’ve made no secret that I am not a fan of the current administration. I’m not a fan of the previous one either, so let’s not get any ideas. Regardless, I do have my opinions which (not shocking) do not jive with either of the propositions. And since nobody asked me them, I’m about to give them to you.
I’ve been listening to my peers argue about not wanting socialized healthcare, that we don’t want our hospitals run like the DMV, or that death squads (and I really laughed out loud, snorting and all, at this one) will be deciding who lives and who doesn’t.
One the other side, I heard about how the social healthcare works in other “advanced” countries, why not here? Let me stick to that point for a moment. Japan has a national healthcare system, one that covers approximately one-hundred and twenty seven million Japanese citizens. An article from NPR discusses just how cheap the health care is. “Perhaps too cheap” reports the article, stating that Doctor’s incomes are extremely low. I already see a problem with this. A problem that we, here in the states, are starting to suffer from. All the smart people are no longer becoming Doctors. And I don’t know about you, but I want my physicians to be as smart as, well, a doctor!
Never mind that for now. Another issue in Japan is that, while the national healthcare program started as a cover all – for everything, it is no longer the case. Over the last years, the co-payments and deductibles have increased, first by 10%, then to 20% and are currently at 30% patient responsibility. This means that in order to have full coverage in Japan, you have to carry two insurances, a GAP insurance if you will. So, they are partially back on private insurance, while their government tries to reel back in the ballooning costs of their healthcare program. And that with 127mil people! We have more than double the amount of bodies here. And don’t get me started on the weight and general health differences.
I don’t disagree with some government interference here though. Some. The pre-existing condition thing has got to go. That is retarded. And if you are offended because you think that the word retarded is insensitive because of those people that are in fact born with brain damage, well, I got news for you. The pre-existing condition thing is retarded.
However, we are a capitalist nation still, last time I checked. Forbid the insurance companies from setting negotiated rates with doctors. Let the doctor or hospital set his pricing according to what they see fit. The market will determine the value of the service, and people will go to whichever provider has mentioned best value. Abolish the referral system, so we can see whatever doctor we feel comfortable with. Let American’s get the insurance plan we want, at an affordable price. Not those ridiculous self-pay rates. Make it mandatory for citizens and residents to have healthcare. It seems to work just fine with auto insurance. Competitive rates, no in-network car mechanic nonsense. Grant us discounts for being healthy, and engaging in healthy activities. Slap us on the wrist for smoking (I’m getting slapped), and for letting our cholesterol shoot through the roof. Prevent as much as we can. Money is a great motivator, and as such we should leverage it properly.
Oh, and we should really reform the DMV. Everyone seems to already know it sucks.
Did I miss anything? Or am I totally wrong here? Let me know.
9.09.2009
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4 comments:
Hurrah! *raises fists in agreement*
Thank you! :)
Okay...so your idea sounds oddly capitalistic (i.e. "the market will determine the value of the service"). Just how do you think that's going to work? It's not as if capitalism made this country great. It's not as if the founding fathers balked at the idea of BIG government. Just who do you think you are? *grin*
Sorry. Sometimes my sarcasm takes the wheel. I agree. There are some things that aren't great about our health care system, but socializing medicine is not the answer.
It seems to me that our current administration actually believes that just because we are America that we can somehow make socialized medicine work when no one else can.
Last time I checked, Japan had surpassed us in education standards, work ethic, and technology. But we must be smarter than Japan, right? We are America.
Someone knock me off my soap box, please? I think the air is too thin up here.
I believe that it’s important that we nationalize the ability to get coverage from anywhere you'd like within the country. This is not a new idea, just one I didn’t see being pushed until Obamas latest healthcare speech. Even than, he grazed the issue with a government run, “market place”. I thought it was a fantastic speech, and I’ll say it again, speech. The beef in the soup may have been a little more flavorful, but it’s still coming from madcow.
We socialize healthcare, we will lose the proper care for our health. When all the graduated M.D's are done and retired and the new generation of physicians comes in, under a socialized insurance, the quality of care WILL be our biggest downfall (Not that the majority of caregivers are to brag about now in this country anyways). I mean, You tell me to go to school for eight years, do a three year or more residency, have a stressful work environment, and not have a fantastic life to go home to after my work is complete...and I’ll say I’ll just go to law school.
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