The basic question that first must be answered (and I suspect I know what answer most, especially in government, would give) is, "Is health care a right or a priviledge?" Unfortunately health care has been singled out by many in power to be the one and only inalienable RIGHT. We have the right to be free, only if we abide by the rules. We have the right to the pursuit of happiness, but only if it does not interfere or conflict with other pursuits by other people. We have the right to life, only if we are at least 36 weeks gestational age. We have the right of freedom of speech only if our speech is politically correct. We have the right to worship our chosen deity, only if we do not need a blood transfusion. We do not have the right to eat 3 meals a day. We do not have the right to have a roof over our heads nor do we have the right to warm clothing, higher education, dental care or bus tokens. But, we are all supposed to have the right to any and all healthcare. I have no problem with government subsidizing those who are in fact needy. I do have a problem with those subsidies exceeding the levels attainable by the not-so-needy. If we eliminate the bulk of the third party payor system and return the burden back to the patient, we will see healthcare costs come back into a realistic frame. I favor a pay-as-you-go scenario with government providing assistance (not complete coverage) for those who are unable (not unwilling) to provide for themselves. If employers returned to their employees all the dollars they spend on them for their insurance (a large percentage of which ends up in the insurance company CEO's pockets), employees would have more money to budget with. And, the budget decisions should be theirs and theirs alone based on their own personal needs. If they choose to use their paychecks to buy Heinikens and Mercedes rather than health care, so be it. Don't cry in your beer when you total your Mercedes and break your leg. Got a cold? Maybe it would be fiscally sound to give it a week to run its course rather than heading to the doctor for antibiotics you want but don't need. Want to protect your family against catastrophic illness or accidents? Shop around for an insurance plan that meets your needs and desires. Afraid of ending up broke in a nursing home? Buy a plan which covers that. Want to barter with your doctor or agree to some kind of concierge plan, have at it.
The day we mandated employers to take the responsibility for our health care is the day health care went to Hell. Why would anyone want to entrust this very important and personal decision to our employer??? Why would one employee who doesn't smoke, eats right, doesn't bungee jump and lets their 95 year old parents house sit when they are off running the Boston Marathon want to be lumped in an employee-based insurance plan with all the obese, smoking couch-potatoes?
We don't make our employers pay our car insurance,choose our food, pick out our houses,or tell us who we should marry. Why then do we insist they manage our health care? I know why it got started. What I don't understand is why it has been allowed to continue. And, if certain politicians have their way, it will only be expanded so that now EVERY employer will have to make the health care decisions for their employees. Just plain stupid. Some where, some how, somebody can figure this out. I just fear it will be too late.
Leslie
