Once the insured folks are covered about as well as the uninsured — but paying me for the privilege — making laws requiring everyone to buy insurance from me ought to be pretty easy. Just point to those free-riding uninsured bums.

“Their coverage is just about the same as yours –”
that is, non-existent
“– and dammit they’re not paying” a dime!”
To me.
“I ask you, good people — is that fair!?”

“Proudly.” I forgot to say “proudly.” Proudly bringing us universal un-coverage.

“…Aspirin or Ibuprofen and a cane are cheaper than knee replacement surgery for people with crippling arthritis….”

I’m just about to go off on you again, but it occurs to me that maybe you are not being as callous as I think, but that you are implying that a change in our health care system might mean that instead of well-insured people getting knee replacements while under or non-insured people just suffer, we’ll all get free aspirin or ibuprofen and a cane. Is this what you mean by unintended consequences? That by trying for something more equitable and more compassionate, we may simply distribute the pain more “fairly”?

Because otherwise, I’m wondering if you are saying that Americans are simply spoiled and that we think if our knees hurt, then OMG we’re petulant brats who think we’re entitled to new ones, when we should just suck it up and deal, much like our ancestors had to.

Oof. What is this anyway? Didn’t we use to be good at doing revolutionary stuff? Didn’t we use to think of ourselves as pioneers? Didn’t there use to be a free world? Didn’t we use to think we were the leaders of it?

Tom, tell me I’ve totally misunderstood you, and I will apologize. Otherwise, damn, son.

Lacking here is the evidence that by socializing medicine there will be greater efficiency and hence more people can be provided services at a lower cost. The challenge remains that if that were the case, it would be the first time in human history. By way of example, here is a fact worthy of considering: Aspirin or Ibuprofen and a cane are cheaper than knee replacement surgery for people with crippling arthritis.

Be aware of unintended consequences, you can get cheaper health care and precisely what you pay for.

Tom
http://www.tomcoss.com

http://brilliantatbreakfast.blogspot.com/2008/04/republican-economic-policy-bets-that.html

I can’t imagine that this would ever affect some folks - for example, all of the currently living Cheney family. Liz Cheney, Mary Cheney and their kids will always get everything they need. But damn. Eventually even Cheney descendants are going to mingle with the masses. I believe Dick Cheney loves his kids and grandkids, but god knows people like him don’t seem to care one bitty bit about whoever follows.

Damn. Cheneyism always gets me off-topic. Here’s the thing: are they (the spendy folks referenced in the post) kind of counting on this misery as a way of thinning the herd? And how soon before those of us with expensive and inconvenient maladies are offered special “early check-out” incentives? Like, change your instructions to Do Not Resuscitate and your grandkids get a discount on tuition. Or taper those meds and drink this and your partner won’t have to spend-down into poverty.

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. I use Remicade ($5,000 billed to ins company every two months). I live with pain 24hrs/day. This disease was NOT something I could have avoided by “eating right” or jogging 5 miles/day. It just happened.

Without this medicine I would be looking for a gun to end it all…

I think the aim of the original piece in the NY TIMES is simply off a little to the left of the bullseye. In the case of Rx, it’s “Big Pharma” that is artificially increasing prices, concealing prices, engaging in lobbying to keep prices in the U.S. higher than for comparative drugs out of the States. This is the appropriate target for the now ridiculously over-priced pharma industry, not the insurance companies, per se (this time).

Also, one might keep in mind that most insurance plans, specifically those offered by employers, have an Out of Pocket Maximum. Although high, it does limit the individual’s exposure to maximum liability (common maximums are in the $2000 - $4000 range, per individual).

Of course… many plans also do not apply Rx expenses toward the OOP Max, or have a separate max for Rx… so I guess that brings us full circle.

Also, the president who signs universal single payer health care into law will be revered for generations. He or she could have a Viet Nam type foul-up in the resume and still be remembered fondly by Americans for generations.