Raise your hand if you didn’t really expect the congressional GOP to repeal Obamacare this week.
I didn’t, and even though I’m almost always wrong about these things I was pretty confident this time for two reasons: First, they’re republican congressvermin who do not really comprise a different party from democrat congressvermin, and there’s no quorum in either house that really truly believes they shouldn’t be running the national health care industry. Second: Even if there were such a quorum, you can’t just cause the confusing devastation that Obamacare has surely caused for the past six years and then say, “Oops, our bad. Never mind, carry on.” “What are we supposed to do now” is surely the first question on the lips of every doctor, nurse, hospital administrator, hospital janitor, insurance provider and patient in the entire US and its territories. Given that Congress allowed this to happen, congressvermin deserve to be the ones who answer that question.
I’m sure we’ll all be fascinated to hear the answer. If and when we ever do. But it won’t be this week.
You are so right, and I never expected anything real from this bunch.
But, actually, I don’t know how in the world to separate government from medicine (or much of anything else) without total chaos and disruption in most cases. And allowing the non-voluntary government bureaucrats and usual suspects to do any sort of positive change is a big laugh.
Why NOT just drop the whole thing? Give everyone the freedom to choose, to do what they will with what they earn? To hire any doctor or hospital they wish?
Because most people won’t stand for it! They have long and long gotten used to “insurance” taking on all the responsibility for their medical costs, if not for their very health. They’ve come to believe that “free” health care is some sort of natural right, and most don’t consider the cost to even themselves in taxes and premiums, much less in view of lost options and opportunities.
So yes, the old Republican stupidity is certainly involved… but never forget that (I believe) the majority of the population does not want to be self responsible, self owners. I mean, who would they blame for everything then?
The “election” of either Trump or Hillary tends to support that idea. Neither one had any understanding of, nor desire for, individual liberty.
President Trump has already directed government officials to give citizens as much flexibility as possible with the existing law. And he is pushing Congress to let medical insurance be sold across state lines, in contrast to today where that is not permitted. And he wants them to give people an opportunity to set up Health Savings Accounts which would let them put away money in advance, tax free, for use when medical issues arise. However, for now he is stuck with Obamacare, and merely has the ability to “reinterpret” it as the Supreme Court permitted his predecessor to do.
merely has the ability to “reinterpret” it as the Supreme Court permitted his predecessor to do.
I wonder if it’s within his purview to “reinterpret” the tax/fine/tax/whatever to be $0.00/year for those who do not purchase medical insurance.
He has directed the IRS to do so, and has told them he expects that portion of the law, at least, to be non-existent by 15 April.
heheheheheh…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Winning:-D.
Further info:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2FU_yCXmE4
Y’all have been watching ABCNNBCBS and their dead-tree fellow travelers. Surely by now you should understand that they are the Original Fake News…
Heh. “Free healthcare.”
Cuz it’s worked out so well for the VA and the military.
First of all, if you read about anyone talking about “the” problem with health care in this country, you may safely stop reading immediately because the writer is an idiot. Health care is so screwed up in this country, and has so many interrelated problems, that it’s almost impossible to know where to start. Government is by no means blameless, but those problems are at least 50% caused by private industry, particularly the insurance companies because they distort everything and yet they control way too much.
Example: If I were to go for a blood test as a private pay customer, I could easily be billed nearly $1000 for a typical comprehensive blood test, yet an insurance company might pay less than $10 for the very same service!
Example: An insured friend of mine is trying to arrange for a routine surgery. After many phone calls, she is unable to determine in advance what the anesthesiologist charge will be. Why? It seems that anesthesiologists are semi-randomly assigned by a local cartel, yet each one is a semi-autonomous business entity. Some of them are “in-network” for my friend, and some are not. Further, each charges whatever they feel like charging so there is no predicting what your bill will be.
Imagine if you hired a plumber under those conditions? If you didn’t know who was to arrive at your house nor have any knowledge or control in advance over what that person billed you?
I could go on with examples, but everyone has likely stopped reading by now.
So what is the solution? I don’t know! But I can tell you that the problem is super-complex and it will always resist simple solutions. But I can tell you that the solution will NOT be found by simply relying on private industry.
Ben, the solution is incredibly simple. Each individual (and family) takes personal responsibility for their own health and welfare, making contracts with whom they please, by whatever criteria they please. Implementation of this simple answer IS complicated and almost impossible, because that’s not what either industry, government OR most individuals really want.
What people need is freedom, for everything. But most don’t want that freedom, actually… they want someone else to be responsible… and someone else to pay for it.