Haven't we learned from past socialist programs?

Phil Valentine

November 10, 2009

PhilValentine.com

 

As Nancy Pelosi crowed over her victory on the health care bill she equated it to passing Social Security and Medicare legislation.  “And that’s something to brag about?” I asked myself.

Social Security and Medicare are now both bankrupt.  The intention of both was laudable.  People needed to keep from starving and have medical care when they retired.  We were told our money would go into a “trust fund” and when you retired you’d get this retirement check and your medical care would be paid for.

Only the most socialist and bone-headed among us would argue that we all wouldn’t be better off had those programs been privatized years ago.  In other words, instead of paying all that money into a fund that’s been raided by Congress all these years we would be much better off if that money had been set aside for us in a private fund.  A fund that would’ve not only grown far more than the pitiful government interest rate but would’ve been ours to leave to our heirs.

We now have a privately run medical system that is the envy of the world.  Do you see anyone from the United States flying to France or England for medical care?  Of course we hear of people flying here all the time.  That’s about to end.  Instead of leading the world in our private sector ship we’re bailing out and jumping into their boat.

The solution to insuring the uninsured is not handing over more of our lives to the government.  That only breeds more irresponsible behavior.  It’s that irresponsible behavior that’s driven up the cost of health care in the first place.

What we should be moving towards are larger deductibles and health savings accounts.  You cut your premiums in half, put the difference in an HSA and pay the first several thousand dollars of expenses yourself.  You’re paying the same money or less for health care but you’re not dinging the insurance company for every office visit or every prescription.  After your deductible is met then your insurance pays 100 percent.

That’s what I’ve moved to.  It’s great.  I’m much more aware of my medical expenses because I pay for the first $4,000.  It keeps insurance costs for my company low because, let’s face it, most medical expenses people incur happen prior to $4,000.  The insurance company is happy, my company’s happy, I’m happy.  What’s not to love?

Ah, but that means I’m making my medical care decisions instead of the government and they can’t have that.  After all, it’s the control they’re after.  So, instead of moving toward a system that lowers costs and makes me a smarter patient they’re moving toward more of the same; the same small deductibles that entice people to abuse the system.  You pay a $15 co-pay and you don’t care what the real costs are.  Get yourself a $4,000 deductible and you start to care.

What’s interesting is I ran the numbers on my old policy vs. my $4,000 deductible.  Most years I come out ahead with the $4,000 deductible because, among other reasons, my old insurance paid 80 percent.  Now it pays 100 percent above $4,000.

And need I remind of the “pay-or-play” clause in the Democrats’ health bill?  Your employer will be able to pay a $750 fine and dump you off on ObamaCare.  And why wouldn’t he?  He’s paying over $7,000 for your family policy right now.

We haven’t even begun to imagine the nightmares of this bad boy if it manages to pass the Senate.  And they’re our only hope now.  Scary, isn’t it?