PIERINI FITNESS

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Back to the drawing board?


An internet news article that caught my eye is the topic of today’s blogflection - several Democrat and Republican lawmakers acknowledge that President Obama’s ambitious health care reform will not pass without the aid of doubtful Republicans whose members are almost united against the White House plan.

While it may be too early for taxpayers to breathe sighs of relief, this news is nonetheless comforting. How much more effort will be required before us taxpayers attend the funeral of this anti-competitive, anti-consumer misguided proposal?

A July 24, 2009 Fortune Magazine internet article reminds us of the five key freedoms we’d lose if the President’s health care reform became law. You can read the article for the details but here’s are one-liners of what these at freedom risks are:

1) Freedom to choose what’s in your plan

2) Freedom to be rewarded for health living, or pay your real costs

3) Freedom to choose high deductible coverage

4) Freedom to keep your existing plan

5) Freedom to choose your doctors

It’s always been my opinion that the health care reform ideas of unsuccessful Presidential candidate John McCain were better for improving our health care delivery system. They were based on these guiding principles:

1) Give families more control and choice of their health insurance and medical care choices.

2) Make more individuals and families eligible for health insurance tax credits.

3) Improve health care and reduce costs by promoting competition among health care insurers.

While John McCain’s general principles lack the detail of the scary details emerging with President Obama’s health care reform proposals, it’s also clear that these sound principles are not visibly present in the President’s plan. This is scary because the President’s plan lacks free market forces of competition and consumerism needed for real health care reform. Competition and consumerism work great when we shop for a new automobile or buy groceries so why not with health care?

Is it too late to go back to the drawing board?

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

1 comment:

Tom said...

My dream is to have a president who, very matter of factly and consistently, says, "As a nation, we are too fat. Fixing that will reduce health costs more than [whatever the statistic is]. It's embarrassing. Let's do something about it."

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