The NY Times (one of the most - if not THE most liberal paper in the country) had an article pointing out that we need to do something immediate because we have too many people uninsured or under-insured in this country.    Someone I know that must read this liberal rag daily, sent it to a listserv that I monitor, and here is the link to the editorial, and below is my response:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/opinion/23sun1.html?_r=2

Wow - interesting article.   So - from the article, it appears (if these numbers are correct) that about 45.7 million people are uninsured in this country, and of that 45.7 million:

 

9 Million live in a household making at least $75,000 a year - yet they choose to not get insurance - but I wonder how many in that household have cable or satellite channels, cell phones, Ipods, personal computers, cigarettes, beer, and they choose to not buy insurance, but how many of them buy lottery tickets.

 

4.5 Million live in a household making at least $88,000 a year and..... they choose to not spend their money on insurance.

 

It goes on to say about 5% of the 13 Million young adult folks who choose to not get insurance because they are young and healthy probably make more than $60,000 a year - but they'd rather spend their money on other things.

 

It says about 9 million are not US Citizens and maybe 6 million of them are illegal aliens that will not be helped by Obamacare anyway.

 

It says about 11 million of them qualify for Medicaid - but because either they because they do not know they are eligible or are intimidated by the application process.  So - perhaps if Obama was to spend some of that money to educate these people to what is available to them today instead of using it for Obamacare, we may not need a NEW public option.   We have a public option now that is not being utilized by 11 million?

 

This is more than 34 of the 45.7 million that either do not truly NEED a new public option or they are not taking advantage of what they can have now.

 

Should we look at health insurance in a similar fashion as auto insurance?    The article makes it sound like those with high deductibles and co-pays CHOOSE to not get care until they are really seriously ill.   It basically says that about some people with Medicaid - since annual physicals are not covered by Medicaid.   Should we start demanding that our auto insurance companies start paying for oil changes, air filter changes, new tires every 2 years, transmission oil changes every 3 years, windshield wipers every 6 months, and remedial driving courses after we get a ticket?   I mean - it sounds to me like those pushing for Obamacare really thinks that FREE healthcare is a right in this country, guaranteed by the Bill of Rights or the Constitution or somehow the federal government OWES us free healthcare.   If you read the article - did you notice that some people actually have to GO INTO DEBT to pay for healthcare?  Oh my Lord!!!!    They had to actually borrow money and go into debt for it.  

 

What do we expect, people?  Let's talk moral and legal obligation for a minute.   Are we guaranteed free healthcare in our Bill of Rights?  No.  Is it in the constitution?  No.   If it's not a legal obligation, and if you want it to be - then you need a super majority to make it a constitutional amendment to change it - so perhaps that should be the discussion.

 

Are we morally obligated to provide free healthcare for every American citizen and even for everyone visiting our country or everyone IN our country (legally or illegally)?    If you believe we are - then are we not also morally obligated to provide everyone with healthy food?   Shouldn't the government open public option grocery stores too?  Don't we have the right to wear clothes?  Is it time for the government to open public option J C Pennys?   The prisoners in prison are guaranteed an opportunity to work out - so when do we get government option Curves?   The prisoners get television, so when do we get our public option television stores that provides everyone with a set?   

 

One person said that the insurance carriers are out of control with raising premiums, reducing coverage, overpaying their CEOs - so to fix it - we should have the government go into competition with those businesses.    If we're going to do that now - how much longer until the government believes the doctors are making too much money - so we need government employed physicians to compete.   How about government employed Dentists, Attorneys, Reimbursement Consultants, Daycare workers, etc..   How about the government opening up billing services to compete with the billers because the ones know getting 6% to 8% is too much?   Plumbers make a lot for coming to your house to help at 2am because someone in your house put half a roll of TP in the toilet - so maybe we need government to compete with them and get that rate down to $10 instead of $35 for a service call?    Where does it STOP?  When will we EVER start expecting us to be responsible for ourselves again?