Aug 12 2009
Health Reform: For better or for worse?
Now, I have read much heated talk about the government trying to pass the health reform bill! I have also seen news about Swastikas and derogatory commentary about various racial groups, this should not be about race issues but decreasing ( not eliminating) the mess this capitalist pyramid ( of the have it or you do not) society has created for itself.
Some people are complaining that we are going to spend so much money! Yes, it is going to cost money. But are we not to blame only ourselves for what has occurred?Living in a capitalist society creates competition. It creates a desire to want things we would not otherwise be able to obtain, without potentially putting ourselves into financial debt. An example can be the usage of credit cards or using loans to get things we would otherwise not immediately be able to have for ourselves.
From my understanding, the government plans to see how far they can stretch the economic concept of using the least amount of utilities or energy to produce a product, which would prevent expenses and waste from increasing. In theory it works,but can it realistically work?
Some people freak out when they hear connections with the noun Marxist to this issue. People fear a communist kind of situation. How can we all have affordable health insurance? How can we all succeed and live comfortable lives?
I personally believe communism only works in theory. It is a great ideal situation but it can never realistically be effective here on earth. We all can not be at the top. The only communist situations I have seen work a little is when everyone is dirt poor and suffering. Yet, those societies don’t work very well because there is still that leader making all the decisions and not poor.
But, honestly, I believe the health reform has potential to succeed if people would stop complaining and start researching what is really going on. I often hear people putting the reform down,but when I ask for justification I get more puzzled looks and remarks. I hear pauses and ‘I am not sure’, when I ask reasons for negative opinions on the bill.
Now, I am not saying President Obama knows all the answers on how to solve the health issues this country has,but at least he is trying. It is not an easy issue to take on. But I am puzzled when I see countries in Europe allowing their citizens good health care and education systems! There is no reason why this country should be lagging behind on these matters.
The reason why the United States of America lags behind in health care and education systems is due to greed, specifically money greed by the insurance companies, the medical fees, corporate America and us, the citizens.
We all try to ration out what we think some people should have and others should not have. We have a saying our country is known for that says ‘All men are created equal’. Is it true or not?
I personally believe we all are not created equally,but the ability to treat one another fairly,if we choose to not be selfish can be achieved. If we choose to look out for one another it might better the majority. This is what this reform is about. We live in a commons and we have a choice to make decisions that effect us all, for better or for worse.
At the moment, rationing out goods is a popular method of our present-day capitalist society. The medical system uses the rationing method daily. They tell us what doctor we can see and what treatment we have permission to get.
There are good doctors and bad doctors. There are good nurses and bad nurses. Sadly our insurance companies, or lack of ones, can deny coverage that enables us the ability to obtain good doctors and nurses. And for what? Cost and insurance company rules? You have to be kidding!
The health insurance reform, in theory, should prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for medical needs. It is told you will not get turned down because you are not in that great of health. The health reform is also meant to prevent an insurance company from canceling your coverage because of illness or leaving you with a huge out-of-pocket cost.
But the best part I see in this reform bill is increasing the quality of care and not the quantity cost to have procedures done. This is the problem with the health care system right now. It is too pricey!
In fact, health care spending has gone up 30 percent within a time span of 20 years! This spending makes cutting services and raising taxes appear to be the only solution for government officials!
When growing up, I use to play the computer game Sim City, where you build up a town and watch it grow. When I ran into deficit I would simply raises taxes and take funding from education and health reform. I just thought it was a way to cut expenses and get out of debt. I did not care about my citizens complaining. But I should have,because crime and my corporations would start failing. I was not taking care of the people that built up my society and therefore, society failed.
Now, it is no longer a game,but a reality I see being played out here in the USA. By the year 2019 it is expected the GDP will be 21 percent! This is a 1/5 economic output, not far from 1/4 of a potential economic output. What about Medicare and Medicaid? 8 percent of GDP! This brings us to 29 percent economic waste with systems that do not work well from the start! What is problematic about these numbers?
54 million Americans, that are not elderly, have potential to be uninsured by 2019! Yet, you’re paying for a hidden tax of $1,000 to cover the cost of uncompensated care in this country! But people in control are complaining about the expenses of now,rather than later.
A better compliant would be that our insurance companies, that employers sponsor for health use more of our money from labor to support these ridiculous insurance policies rather than bringing it home in our pay checks that we could use for more useful expenses!
We build our society for better or for worse. Maybe, if we work together, this bill might achieve what we, the citizens and the government, would like to achieve, a better way of living for all involved.
I recommend those not sure about the issue to read into it more and also be more optimistic. Pessimistic thoughts, bring about pessimistic results.
Check out the government white house website:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/
This is a very useful and informative website!
