Health care reform

I wonder who health care reform critics think is paying for the treatment of uninsured patients now. Little thought needs to be exercised to conclude that the insured are the ones who pay.

The GOP has embraced the American Medical Association’s plan for health care reform, which is to tax employer-provided coverage to pay for the uninsured. Tax and spend, right? We all have seen what happens when you let an industry self-regulate. Remember the savings and loan debacle, and now the banking and securities meltdown?

It is foolish to pretend the health care industry doesn’t need a complete overhaul. The examples of Canada and Great Britain, two bad systems, as reasons not to reform are short-sighted. Look to Germany and Japan for examples of the best health care in the world.

Follow political campaign contributions, and you will know how Congress will act.

Ed Stine

Prairie Village

I just read a couple of letters to the editor railing about the evils of "government-run" (the lingo the right instructs its followers to use) health care.

As a small business owner I recently made the decision to discontinue my health insurance policy. It was very expensive and didn’t cover very much. And when I did have a valid claim, the insurance company fought paying it for months, adding more stress to my life.

Anybody who thinks that for-profit insurance companies running health care is preferable to Medicare and Medicaid needs to have a colonoscopy to see if their head is up there.

Anne McGregor

Kansas City

Comments

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Okay let's just close all enterprise and have government run everything. Then there would be nothing to unionize!
I trust enterprise far more than government, objectively based on their track records.

[JoCo]

C'mon NMMNG,

The hypothetical leaps you attribute to Big-O, e.g. bankrupting the middle-class to render them penniless and in need of government, make me suspect that the big O is for Olympian (please, no spiel about O and special Olympics).

I could say, I guess, with similar measure, that it's been more of a Republican big-business agenda that has led to the middle-class shrinkage with the aim for NO government for which to turn. See how ludicrous THAT sounds?

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Medicaid sucks, Medicare is a double dip scam by the guvment. I am for ensuring seniors, the disabled and veterans are all taken care of in regards to healthcare. Anyone able and capable (willing or not) of working has no reason to be on Medicaid.
Qualifying for anything guvment always invloves poverty or some victimization of sorts. Why do you think Big O wants to bankrupt the middle class? It creates marketshare for guvment dependency, which is what he advocates.

[JoCo]

NMMNG,

I know you are dealing with Medicaid now. Really, it IS a skinflint, but thought maybe you would be OK that it is only catastrophic with our tax dollars. With it, many,many seniors who've worked a lifetime, must be reduced to poverty before qualifying. Then it is secondary to any private insurance. I think, on whole, it is a fairly GOOD example of TIGHT gov't $$$$$$$$.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Well Anne, you obviously have not delt with either one of the extremely expensive and worthless welfare programs you mention.
Let's see, the large majority of us pay for Medicare wuring our working years, then turn around and pay for it again when we retire plus a percentage of out of pocket. What a deal. We pay for Medicaid although most of us do not "qualify" for the use of it. Our PCP will no longer take Medicaid since they do not want to pay muchof anything in regards to fees for services rendered. Really all people need are catastrophic policies. When someone does not have to be accounatbe for pay for a service, they will recklessly ustilize it, warranted or not. Lil Timmy being rushed to emergency room for a tummy ache or skinned knee or because single mom wants attention.