Private Medigap policies can fill in payments for the balance of the
allowed treatment fraction not covered by Social Security, but these
premiums are expensive and increase annually as the cost-shifting
increases and illegals continue to seek help from hospital emergency
rooms at no charge. Remember, though, these policies rely on the Social
Security program which is a gigantic Ponzi scheme. Those working pay
for those retired and because our health care has increased our life
span so much, there aren't enough workers to support the growing number
of retirees. On top of that the retiring baby boomers are about to add
to this problem. If the federal government doesn't restore all the
money it "borrowed" to help pay for Congress's pork, the whole program
must change.
There is also a problem with our tax disincentive,
which tends to keep the poor from rising above the point where
governmental aid stops. All in all, we need a change, but will the
so-called single-payer system do the job? Let's review how Britain and
Canada have fared with their socialist system.
In Britain, their
system has converted senior physicians into managers (bureaucrats) to
set priorities and targets resulting in rationing of health care and
the need for more physicians. Stories have surfaced about their need to
sweep the wards for patients to release so that government turnover
quotas can be met. Costs in Britain are always ahead of expenses with
a 300 percent increase in 10 years (reported by a 20-year veteran of
the system, Dr. Dalrymple) with very little improvement in delivered
services, except for emergency care. He also reports long waiting times
for elective surgery. The state takeover of the hospitals eliminated
private charitable contributions, along with local pride. Development
capital was diverted to meet cost excesses. These are not symptoms that
we want to emulate in this country. My reference here is an article
entitled "Health of the State, Doctors, Patients and Michael Moore" by
Dr. Theodore Dalrymple. He claims to have worked as a doctor in the
Britain's health service for 20 years.
The Canadian system is
subjected to similar conditions with many stories of patients coming to
the U.S. for timely treatment of their elective work because they are
not allowed to pay for private service there. Canadians, too, believe
that they can pay little or nothing, keep costs down and at the same
time be treated to high-quality medicine. This is a fantasy that is
impossible to attain.
Those who advocate for national
health insurance claim "that America spends more than any other country
on health care and that we still have a higher infant mortality rate
and a lower life expectancy than other developed nations." This they
use as an argument in favor of the socialized medicine Obama and gang
are striving for (from an article entitled "Everything you always
wanted to know about health care" by Ramesh Ponnuru).
Make no
mistake, emulating the mistakes of the existing single-payer system of
others is definitely not the way to go. There are many alternative
plans being proposed that develop the free competition needed to
prevent the endless cost increases attendant to socialist policies. We
must get away from the "big brother" government mentality and rely on
individual initiative to pick among competing programs. Our government
should set up equitable rules and then get out of the way. Remember any
single-payer government run program only guarantees enrollment, not
timely medical treatment.
Some new proposals have been put forth (not all recommended).
-
A standard deduction for health care for everyone choosing a health
policy, costing less would allow pocketing the difference. If more, pay
for it yourself.
- Modifying the standard deduction to be a refundable tax credit. Good for lower-income workers.
- Allow out-of-state purchase of a health policy. Good if the state policies are expensive. Gives more competition.
- Go for Health Savings Accounts. These exist now.
Whatever
we end up with must include and encourage competition; otherwise the
country will be constantly doing what the socialist schemes have found.
There is never enough tax money to satisfy the demand for free health
care. I believe that the old quip is true. "If you think health care is
expensive now, just wait until it's free."
Olin Potter lives in Waitsfield.
