Health Insurance

Responding to a video on health insurance. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLJxmJZXgNI

It seems as if the pols don't want to solve any problem unless they can solve EVERY problem. The short list for health care:

1. high cost of care
2. high cost of insurance
3. uninsured
4. underinsured
5. and now, caring for illegal immigrants

Pay attention the next time you see an article about the high cost of health care/insurance. The story will NOT differentiate between health CARE and health WELFARE: that is, people who think that they can buy (or have provided) health insurance at, say, $4000 per year, but EXPECT $6000, $15000, or more in health care services.

Alternatively, they will not show you the difference between buying a policy at $4000 and paying $3000 in bills. Either way, they claim they cannot get/afford treatment, and that someone has to help.

I guess the path to resolution is to look at the facts and the law, and not let emotion get the better of you...emotion being the path of the left on just about every issue: find one case that cannot be solved, tug at heart strings, claim system is unfair.

The broader picture is that, plus or minus, health care is going to cost what it is going to cost. Yeah...maybe we can reduce costs a few percent by directing the un(der)-insured to PCPs and minimizing emergency room visits...but that's just a tool, not a solution. The costs are going to be borne by taxpayers and those who buy insurance.

So get the pols to admit it...set the rules, and abide by them. Figure out what the lowest cost solution is (government insurance or private insurance), and implement it.

Downsides:

Government insurance: same as public housing and other one-size-fits-all approaches

Private insurance: no accountability. Note the rapid increase in insurance costs after the Clinton initiative failed. Why? Because they could. The adversary to their business model disappeared. I really do resent insurance CEO salaries of $90M when they can deny treatment to customers, and say that is necessary so they can treat their customers. That is the big lie that has yet to face any intelligent scrutiny, and that is $90M unaccounted for in health care costs.

Last, this ranks just above gay marriage as an important issue. US world standing, education, economy, energy, moderating islam...far more important.