The health insurance industry`s mandate is all but dead. Thanks to senate republicans lead by jim bunning. We the people will not allow this but i personally am not mad at health insurance corporations for throwing it on the negotiating table. I think government health policy reform health insurance reform is allot better at describing what the people want. I am not talking about senior care (medicare) or VA care, people from both those groups earn not take benefits. Although i have heard complaints about fraud, abuse and waste in the systems. Each of these systems is a completely different situation, with it`s own arguments for and against. Seniors are spending money they put in the system years ago. Members of the military are getting coverage from their employer (american people). The public option was struck with a huge blow 09/29/09 when republicans voted it down in their finance committee health bill. It is however not dead yet, the finance bill is one of a few proposed bills. I now offer a sincere peace agreement, that i think will benefit both the american people and corporations. You do not revive the mandate or other liberty denying amendments. In exchange both parties recognize the other is their greatest ally against a government takeover of the health insurance industry. I think both sides need to admit some people on their side are guilty of exaggerations and in some cases bold face lies. If you did a private survey of doctors, nurses and people in the insurance industry. I think almost all would tell you they do their best in a broken system. I agree everyone has good intentions but the government bureaucracy still creates a bad product.
One of the biggest complaints against health insurance is a policy of initially denying a claim. It is the government system that pays doctors per patient, procedure and test. I guarantee insurance companies have saved allot of lives by denying harmful procedures. Now i am not trying to blame the doctors. You can turn it around and say doctors have to start the process early because of bureaucratic red tape. Doctors would also argue government programs do not pay enough, forcing shorter visits. It is not there fault they are payed for quantity instead of quality.
Of course the biggest complaint against health insurance is the dramatic raise in prices. 400% increase in profits in the last few years. Workers never getting raises because of insurance increases. It is the government who funds no insurance so called free clinics instead of paying for uncompensated care. Many of these clinics only purpose is to push everyone onto a public subsidized program. They force people who buy insurance to pay for people forced onto public system, uncompensated care and health insurance for those who do not work. When government taxes business, decision has to be made raise prices or downsize. It is government that will let a bad product/service survive, by taxing a good one.
We need less regulation and more efficient oversight. It is the government that keeps passing counter productive legislation that dramatically decreases competition and increases bureaucratic red tape. In the past few years congress has passed bills for the elitists that are full of hate toward anyone who is not one of them. It is the job of insurance to manage risk. There is allot of risk when congress creates a system that is doomed to fail. If health insurance companies are going to use the profits to get their feet under them during the inevitable policy changes, we should thank them. It will take some start-up money to enact cost saving innovations. It is government that stifles innovation and technology, by always wanting to be payed off for anything new.
Another complaint made mostly by doctors is lawsuits (tort reform). It is very important to protect a patients right to sue! I do agree people can be too lawsuit trigger happy. I think it is nature to be mad at mistakes or someone gaming the system. But we need to make sure we do not ruin a good doctor for one mistake. We also can not demonize a doctor or system because one person committed fraud. Just look at the witch hunts when a celebrity dies. News flash we all know the problems that face hollywood celebrities are often the opposite those of the american people. Witch hunts do not solve any problems, and often do allot of harm.
Another complaint is you have to be a large corporation to negotiate a reasonable rate. Small business and individuals often pay a much higher rate compared to a large corporation. The government is the one responsible for not allowing americans the right to comparative shop online. It is the government who kills competition with their public funded programs pushed by so called free clinics. It is the government that has created a system with only two options. Get health insurance from a large corporation or make your family, friends and neighbors pay. If there are no doctors that accept cash, there is no competition for insurance companies. Insurance companies can not compete with subsidized prices. This greatly reduces the number of companies offering individual coverage, increasing costs and decreasing quality. Some would say who cares, just take the public insurance. Even if you do not see anything morally wrong with expecting others to pay your bill, you get what you pay for. Public plans do not pay doctors in full. Many doctors will not see patients because of this. Insurance is no good if doctors do not accept it! If you do find a doctor your time and quality of care will be limited. You will not have a say in your medical decisions. You can not ask for anything, when everything is a handout. It is big government that wants people to rely on it for money and decisions. If you depend on government, they control you and your vote.
Signed : one voice for the people