Archive: Opinions

As the federal government gets closer to doing something about health care, Americans are getting nervous.  A recent ABC News Poll shows fewer than 50% of Americans approve of President Obama's handling of health care.  In a Fox poll the lines are predictably drawn between Democrat and Republican respondents, but a majority of both think whatever plan is approved will cost them more money, not save them money (41% of Democrats and 80% of Republicans said they thought reforms would cost them more money).

As a very small business we've seen our premiums go up at a much faster rate than the cost of living, and our benefits -- in a word -- stink.  I was recently billed about $500 for a well visit.  God only knows what it would have cost if I had gone because I was sick.  We get high deductibles because we can't afford low ones.

I think most people are worried as the reality comes near because they are forced to think about what the government fixing things means.  It usually means a bigger bureaucracy, more spending, indecipherable rules, more intrusion into our lives, and more taxes.  Is this really what we need in the current economy?

It is equally clear that if someone doesn't do something nobody will be able to afford health care.  If the government isn't that someone, who is?

Each of the stakeholders are pointing the finger at the others, but if we're honest everyone is to blame.  Doctors have given up doctoring in favor of a lot of expensive tests either because they are afraid of malpractice lawsuits or because they like tests better than old fashioned doctoring.  Frivolous lawsuits scare doctors and raise our rates.

Health care providers charge too much.  Buying a Tylenol pill in a hospital is like buying popcorn at the movies -- way too much money.

Insurance companies charge too much and then don't want to make good when you really need them.  The conventional wisdom is that even bad health insurance is better than no health insurance, so people accept it.  And the way policies are configured staying healthy isn't encouraged.

We're all to blame if we don't try to live healthy lives.  In this day and age we all know what that means, but too many of us are not even trying.

In our house 'Wouldn't that be great?' is our joke saying when we know something is impossible.  We got it from a lighthouse tour we took in northern Wisconsin.  As we stood outside a closed door the guide explained how the lighthouse keeper lived in the apartment there.  When we asked if we could see it, she said, 'Wouldn't that be great?' and explained it was closed to the public because it was being rented out.  Then she showed us the cabinet where he kept his instruments.  When we asked to look inside, she said, 'Wouldn't that be great?' and then explained it had been painted shut long ago.  She showed us a lot of things we couldn't see that day.  But wouldn't it be great?

The result of governmental health care reform is very likely going to be something we don't like.  Trusting the government to make things better is a bit like those Internet scams.  Wouldn't it be great if you could make $5,000 per week simply by entering data from your home computer?  Wouldn't it be great if Uncle Government could get all Americans cheaper, better health care?

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