I really don’t understand healthcare reform.
People keep saying that one of the biggest problems with our current system is that about 45 million people don’t have health insurance. There are reasons why that number doesn’t tell the whole story, but I can understand why people are concerned. What I don’t understand is how any of the reform plans would fix the problem.
I’ve been meaning to blog about it, but I wasn’t sure where to start. Thankfully, Jennifer Abel has come to my rescue with her op-ed in the Guardian:
Before I say anything about America’s healthcare reform boondoggle, I’d like you to behold my brilliant plan to end hunger once and for all (and then, after you behold it, go and kick yourself for not thinking of it first).
Providing food to those without is simple, really: we’ll just pass a strict law requiring all hungry people to buy some, and if they don’t, fine them harshly enough to persuade even the most recalcitrant ones it’s in their best interest to eat something once in a while.
Now change “food” to “health insurance,” and behold: you have what Congress and President Obama want to inflict upon hapless constituents like me.
Yes, the healthcare plan includes mandatory health insurance for everyone. So the plan for making sure everyone is insured is…to require everyone to buy insurance.
Understand that this isn’t going to make much difference to the 85% of us that have health insurance already. We won’t have to pay a dime under this new plan. The only people who will have to come up with money are the people who are uninsured now. I have trouble seeing how this will help them.
In fact, if we remember Watergate and “follow the money,” the most obvious beneficiary is the insurance industry. How great would it be to work in a business where people are forced to buy your product?
I’ve been skeptical of healthcare reform from the start, but for those of you in favor of it, is enriching the insurance industry what you had in mind?
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