Maybe health care? Maybe not?

Ron Gettelfinger, president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union makes some very good points about the state of American health care in a recent Detroit News article:

In recent weeks, members and retirees of our union have confronted a new set of challenges in the field of health care.

The roots of this problem, however, are hardly new. As Walter Reuther said during an address to the American Public Health Association in 1968:

“We must first free ourselves of the illusion that we really have a health care system in America. What we have is a disorganized, disjointed, antiquated, obsolete non-system of health care. Consumers are being required to subsidize a non-system that fails to deal with their basic health care needs and the cost of that system is continuing to skyrocket.”

Unfortunately, the problems have only become more serious in the intervening years. We now have nearly 46 million Americans — including more than 8 million children — with no health insurance at all.

And…

The U.S. has the best doctors, nurses and health care professionals anywhere in the world. But they are hindered by an ineffective, wasteful bureaucratic system. Our nation spends approximately $1.7 trillion, or 15.4 percent of our gross domestic product, on health care. Four hundred billion of this sum is absorbed by the cost of paperwork and administration.

Additionally, prescription drugs cost more in the United States than in any other country. One reason for these high costs is that pharmaceutical companies spend more than any other industry on lobbying, with more than 1,200 lobbyists in Washington. These lobbyists are doing well for their employers, crafting laws and regulations to protect an industry which earns tens of billions in profits each year. But what are they accomplishing for the rest of us?

For all our health care spending, the United States ranks near the bottom among industrialized countries on life expectancy, infant mortality and virtually every other measure. In fact, the infant mortality rate in our nation’s capital is more than double the infant mortality rate in Beijing.

America deserves better.

Yes sir! America does deserve better but many Americans have some strange attitudes towards health care. Among my circle of friends, aquaintances, and co-workers health care is a common topic. Paying too much compared to what they earn, inadequate coverage, discount plans instead of coverage plans, no vision coverage, high prescription drug costs, and constant referrals are the average complaints. Yet when you mention national health care, this is what I hear (it’s so tired):

“I’m not paying for someone’s plastic surgery.”
“I didn’t have the heart attack, they did.”
“Why pay for someone else’s obesity?”
“It would bankrupt our country.”
“Socialism via health care is bad.”
“Canada’s system doesn’t work. Why would our new system be better?”

HMM! You have big issues with our current health care system yet have all kinds of problems with fixing it? Color me perplexed. Since we have an employer-based health care system and employers are frequently passing more and more costs to their employees (by choice or force), the breaking point for employees will be sooner rather than later. And for employers, health care is becoming the #1 worry cost-wise. Heck, Wal-Mart’s damn near ready to give applicants and employees the serious eyeball concerning their overall health.

In order to address our American health care system properly and completely, one must stop saying that everything is fine and will stay fine. Outsourcing, offshoring, and the world market is putting serious strain on our usual health care sources. Many small business are just not offering health care coverage to workers. And this is leading to more and more uncovered people. Which will result in a big crisis in our hospitals. I’m a free market guy. But everything can’t be left up to the market to decide. Our health is too precious to talk about it in terms of business sense. Bill Gates is just as susceptible to a car accident as a regular joe. So why does a car accident have to ruin damn near everything in the regular joe’s life because of his lower income? You can eat all that “that’s the way it goes” cornbread all you want until you get banged up, tore up, sick, and/or diseased. I don’t have all the answers but the time is now to stop regurgitating the same lines and get serious about making a solid American health care system.

5 Responses to “Maybe health care? Maybe not?”

1. Tony says:

   November 5, 2005 at 11:19 pm

   Bill Gates is just as susceptible to a car accident as a regular joe. So why does a car accident have to ruin damn near everything in the regular joe’s life because of his lower income?

   I’m a regular joe, and I have health insurance. I’m currently getting it through my wife’s job, but I’ve carried it in other jobs I’ve been in.

   It is a necessity. If you are a regular joe, you have to budget money for health insurance even though you’d really prefer to have a wide screen TV. If you don’t and you get dinged… Oh well. With our choices come the consequences of those choices.
2. T-Steel says:

   November 6, 2005 at 10:20 am

   I understand your points Tony. But my issue is this:

   More money should’t be the gateway to the best health care.

   Bigger and better homes… fine! More expensive, luxurious cars… no problem! Access to the “finer” things in life… cool! But not a hinderance to the best health care.
3. Mahndisa says:

   November 6, 2005 at 11:51 am

   11 06 05

   Hello T Steel:
   That is a good post. But I think the point is that in a free market, life is an inalienable right, but quality of life is only alenable commensurate with yo pocketbook! I do think that is the way it goes.

   From a moral perspective, I find the current state of affairs to be objectionable and I always pose the question of how do we care for those who cannot care for themselves? Because there is a growing percentage of the working poor and homeless people. And homeless families are an unfortunate statistic. Children should not have to suffer because of their parents transgressions or bad luck. In CA they have the Healthy Start Program, which gives food stamps, formula and healthcare coverage to infants through twelve years. I like that program, but am unsure if it is in danger due to budget cuts etc…. Other than that, you pose a good question. I think that Socialized Medicine isn’t the complete answer either because it forces ones health to become prioritized against that of anothers. So you may have a slow growing prostate tumor, but someone else has agressive breast cancer. They will get treated before you, but by the time they get to your number, your slow growing tumor would’ve grown by a bunch! There has to be a happy medium. I have been thinking about this issue for a while, but it still eludes me. Thought provoking post!

   Here is a link to a Canadians feelings on their healthcare system:

   http://stayathomenonmom.blogspot.com/2005/11/oh-canada-is-health-care-right.html
4. Purple Avenger says:

   November 7, 2005 at 11:38 pm

   You don’t need health insurance in this country, you just need to claim you’re an illegal alien.

   The closest hospital to me will treat illegals for free. There is a sign right on the emergency room wall stating this policy.

   Dumbass me paid $380 for a tetnus shot at the hospital a while ago (none of the local doctors or clinics had the vaccine). SOB’s spent a grand total of maybe 3 minutes swabbing the foot and sticking me in the arm once I was called.

   Next time, I’m gonna “get scruffy”, sprinkle on some cheep beer as aftershave and make up a story about being an illegal.
5. California Health Insurance says:

   November 17, 2005 at 6:59 pm

   It is unfortunate to hear so many lack health insurance. We really need to improve our health care system. Health insurance is a major aspect to many and we should help everyone get covered.