I was debating healthcare with one of my liberal friends and it dawned on me, neither one of us has a clue as to what the bill really means. Like our congressmen, we have not read it or seen it. We only know the talking points we hear from both sides. There are some real questions that should be answered. Here is a list of mine.
I have no problem with my current insurance provider or the healthcare I receive. What is going to change for me with this new healthcare bill? Will my premiums be cheaper or more expensive? Will medical services be easier to get or harder?
When I have a complaint or a question about healthcare, will I now be adding a government number to my speed dial? Will the government provide customer service and other points of contact.
There is no tort reform in this bill. This means that the medical lawsuits will continue unhindered. Will these huge payouts to people and their lawyers now come from taxes?
After the bill passes, what will happen when someone shows up to a doctor or hospital without insurance? Today they are usually treated. Will they be fined? Will they be denied care until contacting the government? Will it be the responsibility of the healthcare provider to report them to the government or get them signed up?
It appears that abortions will now be covered with tax dollars. This has been against the law until now. What other questionable services (sex change operations, botox injections, etc)will taxpayers by on the hook for?
Republicans are saying they will try to get the bill repealed. This will be their issue in the 2010 elections. I am willing to give it a chance, but what happens if it fails to reduce costs, fails to insure those without insurance, or makes healthcare worse?
The insurance companies have been blasted by Obama and all the liberals. During all this this yapping the stock prices of these terrible companies have risen. How is that possible? How has this become a sweet deal for the insurance companies?
I hear that 30 million people will be insured who currently don’t have access. How quickly will they have coverage and how will pouring this number of people into the system not create a huge demand on medical providers?
The government will mandate that insurance companies insure people with “pre-existing conditions”. They are accused of denying people coverage because of these conditions, since they can’t make a profit. The premiums will have to be huge, so will the government just pay them with tax dollars?
There is very little, if any, competition among the segments of healthcare. Will this bill encourage competition or move the whole system closer to a socialist situation? The total medical costs last year was $2.5 trillion. Why not just go socialist and confiscate all medical facilities, make all healthcare professionals government employees, eliminate the insurance industry, and pay for everything? Would this not help employers and the economy?
There are so many more questions, but I will stop here. I am afraid. I believe in a free, capitalistic society. This country became the greatest, most powerful, and richest due to the free spirit of it’s people. I think there are better ways to meet the needs of the uninsured, but it will now be squarely in the hands of politicians. Are you ready?