by Dacia Nichol
As part of a new ongoing series to respond to bad ideas that are proposed by our government, this “Liberty Lifeguard” will explain in plain English what you really need to know. To start, here are four reasons why Obama’s health care plan is a bad idea:
1. It will all but eliminate private health insurance.
Despite the rhetoric to the contrary, consider this:
A) When the government both makes the rules for providing health insurance and also has a product to sell (its own insurance), who do you think will benefit most from the rules? Imagine if the umpire had placed a bet on one of the teams he was refereeing to win...
B) The government will need to manage costs, therefore it will be controlling the costs of care through regulation. For example, under current Medicaid plans, the government will only pay up to 80% of the care cost. Who do you think is paying for the other 20%? That’s right - consumers who are privately insured. Their costs go up (per the providers) to pay for the public health care option.
C) Under Obama’s plan, businesses who pay for their employees’ private insurance will have the option to use the government plan, or rather pay a tax towards it so that they don’t have to provide private insurance. Businesses being businesses (i.e., bottom line is the priority) combined with the skyrocketing costs of private care (per point B above) will mean that millions of people currently insured under private plans will lose that care in favor of a government option.
So sure...you can keep your doctor...if you can afford to pay for him out of pocket.
2. Health care will become rationed.
Government cannot control demand, they can only control supply, and the government has a limited amount of money it can use to provide health care to its citizens. Basically, since it can’t control what type of health care they need, it must control how much health care it provides. So if there’s $250,000 budgeted for the month to pay for bypass surgery ($250k will pay for one) and there are 3 people on the list who need it - how do you think the government will determine who to pay for? If you guessed using age, overall health, and/or family obligations, you’re on the right track to thinking about this realistically.
Oh...and lowest bidder anyone? Do you want a burger from McDonald’s or Outback Steakhouse? What do you think the government would choose for you? Note: Do not be fooled by Barry’s recent trip to Five Guys. Their burgers are actually pretty good, and they’re not cheap!
3. The DMV on a Saturday is no scenario for health care.
Take a number, wait in line. Customer service? Why? Where’s the incentive? Ever had to call a government office about a child support check? Ever had to deal with the IRS? You don’t count if your mama works there either... The ER stinks already? I’m sure the government will make it better. [sarcasm]
And Jon,we know you think that comparing management of the world’s most powerful military is a good analogy for why the government can run health care, but training someone to kill and getting them to do it while allowing free enterprise to do its thing...a wee bit different. Besides, who ever said the military was the most efficient thing either?
Note: This is not to defend the current health care system - by all means reform is absolutely necessary. Throwing salt on the wound however (i.e., have the government come run it)? Bad idea.
4. “Beam me up more money Scotty.” - Yeah right.
So as the skyrocketing costs of private health care force the government health care enrollment sheets to swell - where’s the money coming from to pay for it? Your pocket? You betcha. Still got private care? They’re gonna tax that as income too. If it’s not free, then what’s the advantage? We can reform the system and the rules without creating a public health insurance vacuum to suck up all the money we’re still allowed to keep from our paychecks.
The hook is that we just want to cover the 40 million who are still uninsured...even though that 40 million includes:
- nearly 10 million that are NOT citizens
- about 17 million who can afford insurance and just don’t buy it (even with incomes over $75k)
The line is this great program that will be set up so we all have a “public option”.
The sinker is that we only needed to reach out to 4.3% of the population, but through the lies and propaganda, we’re destroying real choice and the best health care system in the world. Seriously.
BIGGEST LIE: There aren’t any other options.
How about this one.
Or this one.
Or this one.
The options are there Mr. President. You’re just not listening.
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