Health Care's Final Lap

So as the Democrats make one final push for health care reform we wait and see what comes of it. At times it appears that the total obstruction of the Republicans might soon end, not on healthcare, but on other issues. I have been in favor of national health care for as long as I can remember. I am in favor of health care reform.

I am not sure that this plan that the Democrats have put forth is a good one. Of course we do not know if a bad plan or less than perfect ( far less than perfect ) plan will serve as the impetus for improvements or sour all of us on the idea in total. What I do know from everything I have read is that the financial assumptions made by the Democrats are worthless and any cost savings anticipated will never come to pass.

There is nothing in this plan to reduce health care costs. The now usual promise to cut waste and fraud notwithstanding all of the other assumptions are based on half truths and accounting tricks. Now if the decision is that to provide health care to everyone is worth a deficit program that cab be debated and perhaps agreed to, but selling this plan as a cost saver is not true in any sense of the word.

The insurance companies fight this bill, I think more as a reflex action and a fear of what it might lead to more than as a result of what the bill includes. My reflex action is the opposite of course, anything the insurance company is against I am for.

The biggest issue I have that the Obama administration believes in health care for all but that he is trying per usual to make everyone happy. The idea of having a plan that keeps private health insurers as the primary force in health care with no cost restriction is not one that will work. If you want insurance for all, if you want cost savings or at least cost neutral health care then you need to have a single payer system. Really that is where the debate should be.

And shame on the President for not fighting the good fight. We assume Americans do not like the idea of national health care. This is mostly because the right makes better commercials. Really! How many senior citizens do you know who would prefer to have private insurance instead of Medicare. Few to None. Medicare is not for profit and has a three percent administrative overhead cost. How many Republicans voted for Medicare when it was enacted. Few to none. Some things enver change. Some things never will.

Those things that need change sometimes need not incremental change but huge change. This requires leadership, this requires bravery. These two characteristics that the President is sorely lacking.

However you feel about the issue lets debate the real issue. Single payer or not. We are dancing around the truth. What we need from President Obama is a backbone. However without national health care he may not qualify for the transplant he is so apparently in need of