Healthcare hell
President Obama continues to try and sell his national(ized) healthcare program to the public and now to the 250,000 member AMA who want nothing to do with a European-style healthcare system that restricts patient’s choice.
Social democrats want nothing more than to get their hands on 17% of the nation’s domestic product. To control this much of our economy would be the largest coup in our nation’s history. It is a socialist’s dream currently being scripted by Democrats who always promise lower cost for everything to all. These planners are quick to point out the high income of physicians and high cost of healthcare to those who can’t afford health insurance. Class-envy and class-warfare work well. There are few doctors in government so the tort lawyers who also contribute to the cost are hardly mentioned.
Democrat planners claim the government offered healthcare insurance, subsidized by the taxpayers, would bring down the cost of medical care through competition with the private insurance industry. The government thinks they can negotiate (demand) lower prices for medical services since they will represent a large block of clients. They also maintain not everyone will be required to opt in to the system, rather they will have a choice of private coverage or the public option – government coverage made less expensive through government controlled costs of services.
The end game for the socialist planners is to eventually defeat the competition, either through acquisition or industry attrition and convert to a single-payer system. They plan on assuming the commanding market share by offering better prices on premiums because of lower costs. No doubt, medical students will be coaxed into government sponsored educations after which they will serve the government programs at a reduced salary and not having to pay back the very high cost of medical school.
Planners don’t say, but know, if the government run program is enacted, it will only be a matter of time until physicians in private practice will have to reduce their fees to compete and their reimbursements for services to those in the “public option” will be reduced.
With the profit motive removed, doctors will close shop and enter other fields. When government autocrats take over the system, insurance companies will no longer offer healthcare coverage and patient’s health decisions will be made by a clerk in Washington. And like in England, after which the US system is being modeled, patients will be waiting months for services which can be today obtained in days. Certain drugs will be withheld due to cost and doctor’s offices will be overflowing due to a lack of physicians.
What makes us think a government that ran Medicare into the ground can run a national healthcare system? If enacted, this national system will also soon be broke and demanding more of taxpayers money to stay afloat. If you think healthcare is expensive now, just wait until it goes national.
Like with Medicare, the government cost estimate to maintain a national program will be far understated, but once initiated there will be no turning back. National healthcare is alluring to those without, but it is the most fraudulent taking away of individual liberties that we could suffer. It will remove free-will decisions from patient and place them at the mercy of an out of control, unsympathetic government.
Tags: health care, healthcare
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
August 4, 2009 at 4:10 pm
good post.