The Usurpent Finally Said Something True

During last night's sales pitch for ramming a health care bill through, the Usurpent said that "If you don't set deadlines in this town, things don't happen. The default position is inertia...". This is, to my recollection, the only thing this man has ever said that I agree with!

I don't, however, agree that the "stars are aligned" and the time is right for health care reform.

The Usurpent says that this reform is critical for boosting the economy and controlling the deficit, but that could be nothing further from the truth. Any additional expenditures that this administration would propose will further damage the economy and increase the deficit. It's really only a matter of common sense here, but still he felt the need to mildly threatened us by saying that "If we do not control these costs, we will not be able to control our deficit."

The big lie is that there is a problem with our health care in the United States. That's just not true. We have great health care; otherwise, people wouldn't be flocking to America for health care!

If health care is a right, then why isn't there a global revolution? Because it isn't, and most American have quality health care. The poor generally receive care through the emergency rooms at hospitals, and the wealthy have no lack of care, and even purchase luxury health care like cosmetic surgery. It is the middle class who must be cautious about how they recieve health care (which everyone across the board should do), and more importantly, how to pay for it.

What problems need to be solved are how to lower/control 1)pharmaeutical costs, 2)hospital charges, and 3)insurance premiums.

Hospitals charge outrageous sums because, in part, they must cover the costs of poor users who typically can't contribute toward their bills. Because hospitals have absorbed most private practices, they must also compensate doctors at a higher rate because Medicare/Medicaid have wrongly determined acceptable charges that are too low. I miss my now deceased doctor who used to give me free drug samples in prescription quanitites! Of course, he also made house calls (up until a few years ago).

Pharmaceutical companies simply charge too much for their products. This goes beyond letting the market determine the price, as most people pay the price of their cholesterol , blood-pressure, or happy pills without negotiating. House rules prohibit generics from becoming available for so many years, so we mapy the higher price. This is one area where the rules must change and regulations, unfortunately, must be imposed.

Insurance companies claim that premiums are high because of generally unhealthy American lifestyles. This is a believable claim, just look around. How many fast food chains are there where you live? How large is the prepared/processed food aisle at your favorite grocer? Still, there is no reason why premiums increase every year upwards of 30%. Sure, one can shop around for better prices, but the costs continue to rise, and that can't be solely blamed on the poor or the unhealthy lifestyle. The health insurance industry is completely without regulation. These companies need to be investigated thoroughly before any policies are enacted, but regulation may be necessary here, too.

Health care is good, health care costs are bad. Let's have someone other than Congress and the Usurpent figure out how to lower costs.