U.S. healthcare needs a big solution
Nov 24, 2009 | 997 views | 9 
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That seems to sum up the resistance to robust health-care reform measures in the United States.
Such was the tired argument presented over the weekend as Senate Democrats voted to move reform from the legislative waiting room into a place where lawmakers can pursue improvements in the well being of all Americans.
A seemingly endless roster of the bill's foes complained about the page count of the Senate version, which is 2,000 pages.
Speaking Sunday, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., neatly summed up the feelings of his Republican colleagues, "I don't want a big-government, Washington-run operation that would undermine the private insurance that 200 million Americans now have."
He was echoed by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, "We cannot allow Washington bureaucrats to take control of our health-care system."
"This bill creates 70 new government agencies with thousands of new bureaucrats ... with 1,597 different instances where the secretary's mandated to write rules and regulations," said Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.
No matter the forum — the debate in the U.S. House of Representatives several weekends ago, tea parties or conservative talk-radio programs — fear of the large is front and center when discussing fixing U.S. health care.
A casual observer might conclude Americans have never tackled a challenge. The liberation of Europe in World War II, the construction of the Panama Canal and the creation of Social Security during the Great Depression
argue against this current timidity.
Yet, foes cite size when opposing reform initiatives sought by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats and, for that matter, a majority of Americans in several public-opinion polls.
Government involvement would increase the size of government, a calamity in the eyes of conservatives. A more powerful federal government would get between a patient and his or her doctor. A more significant role in health care for the feds would mean rationing. It would hand your most sensitive medical information to an uncaring bureaucrat.
From these fears spring Sarah Palin's nightmare "death panel" or other fevered fantasies.
The truth is the United States is a large and populous country with a similarly hefty problem, namely a fragile system for treating the sick and keeping the well healthy.
The nation's for-profit system has the highest costs in the world but quality ranks behind much of the planet, according to the World Health Organization.
Ranked by life expectancy, the United States is well behind much of the industrialized world.
In 2004, the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine found, "Although America leads the world in spending on health care, it is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not ensure that all citizens have coverage."
Numerous studies by reputable outfits, such as the Institute of Medicine and Harvard Medical School, estimate tens of thousands of Americans die annually because they lack proper health-care insurance. A 2007 Census Bureau study found 45 million Americans go without.
We repeat: This is a big problem requiring a big solution.
The architecture of the current health-care system undercuts many of the conservatives' fears.
In most states, a single health-insurance provider monopolizes the market. In Alabama, for instance, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama controls 90 percent of the market.
(Not to fear. Congress gave health insurers an anti-trust exemption more than five decades ago.)
Of course, these legalized monopolies already ration health care for their clients, deciding who gets an operation, specific types of treatment and certain brands of prescription drugs, to name but three examples.
These large health insurers stand between you and your doctor.
They also stand between Americans and their senators and representatives, handing over millions in campaign cash to lawmakers who will do their bidding.
These cold facts ought to leave lawmakers ashamed.
While Republicans have turned into the party of "no" in standing astride health-care reform, too many Democrats have set their sights too low in fixing a problem that will only worsen as the years go by.
Americans put Obama in the White House with the expectation that he would tackle big problems in a big and bold way. Now, as Congress creeps toward reforming health care, it's time for a big vision from the White House.
My hopes are for continued progress toward the human right of health care."
Healthcare is NOT a right JohnJ....That's the most asinine comment I have ever seen....
Thanks for your comment.
Tug
With the wealth of the nation, the inherent goodness of the American soul, we can find a way to help each other.
I hope that the powers that be will come to a decision that actually helps people.
I see you bit the dust too.
I think something needs to be done to improve health care but the only thing happening is premium increases. Mine now exceeds $400 per month all the co-pays and deductibles.
Go figure.
Approved by Tug
Didnt our dear leader GWB enact a prescription drug program...gasp...socialized medicine!
If the repubs have a plan for health care, where were they during the regime of GWB? Guess we didnt have any health care problems then.
This is KE and I approve this message!
Well bn, glad you love it. Here is another one.
"estimate tens of thousands of Americans die annually because they lack proper health-care insurance. A 2007 Census Bureau study found 45 million Americans go without."
Estimates? tens of thousands? How many tens? Is it closer to twenty thousand or fifty thousand? Not much of an estimate to be using in a debate. And what about these 45 million Americans? How many are illegal aliens or legal aliens who are not citizens? Are they Americans? Of course they said the census bureau said, giving the writers an out - I didn't say that, the census bureau said it! A slick bit of trickery there.
"reform initiatives sought by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats and, for that matter, a majority of Americans in several public-opinion polls."
Another slick one. "Reform initialtives sought by Obams", being careful not to say, "the current health care plan." The plan that according to Rasmussan, the people oppose the plan in the 56 to 38 percent.
So bn, you like that trickery and misinformation? Or am I giving the writers too much credit? Are they not engaging in trickery but actually believe that what they write is true?
Hey did you hear? Obama is a Muslim Commie Socialist that's going to kick down your door himself and take your guns and then kill your granny!
Face it - the Republican Party supplies you with nothing but misery. You've seen how damaging their economic policies cause — socially their ineptitude knows no bounds.
The conservative blight can be defeated!
You libs like to use the fear word as it attempts to demean and marginalized the opposition. You do that with gay marriage too. You call people homophobes, even thought most people are not afraid of gays.
But fear can be a good thing. But yes we are afraid of socialism because we have seen how it works in other countries. But of course elitist libs love socialism because it allows the elite to control everyone else. But you need to wake up. Surprise. You are not one of the elite and you will be told what to do just as most of the rest of us.
Oh, and there is that party of no again. Don't you realize that people recognize the democrat talking points and that it just lowers you image in that it indicates that you do not think for yourself but only dutifully repeat the party line? Editorials are suppose to be about opinion. What is YOUR opinion? If it is whatever the dems say then you can save space by just printing - "What they said".