Regretfully the health plan reforms have fallen to partisan debates and emotional, doomsday predictions by both sides. The American health care system provides some of the most outstanding care globally. There are serious issues to consider in the reform process. It is also true that there is a moral obligation: 45 million plus Americans are without health care and according to the journal "Health Affairs," another 25 million are underinsured. Our country is decades past due addressing the issue of care. Take time to read up on the issues and contact your congressional representatives to share your opinions. Urge them to action.
The Urgency of Health Reforms
Posted Thu November 19 at
3:41 am
health care
I have been following this since the 2008 campaign, if not before. Believe me, in my own situation a national healthcare system would be a welcome thing. However, when you hear politicians talking about Europe and how great their systems are, they never tell you that they are underfunded and also that there is no Medicare or Medicaid in those countries. Everyone has to buy insurance and, in the case of Switzerland, the private insurance companies are the providers and must offer a base plan without profit that is decided by a government agency. Then, they can make profits on upgrades to the base plan. A family of 4 pays about $1000 or so per month and this goes up every year. There is no employer based plan and those who are below a certain income receive a subsidy to pay for the insurance. I think this plan is very clean and cuts out a lot of paperwork for all involved. It also seems fairly simple to administrate. Germany has a different plan that is tied to everyone paying a percentage of their income, I believe, and the monthly insurance premiums are capped at a certain dollar amount.
No politician in this country would touch the elimination of Medicare and Medicaid, although it should be done. Most citizens do not realize the extremely small amount that retirees pay for their Medicare coverage. A couple earning up to $170,000 per year only pays about $110 each for the plan. A retired couple earning between that and $400,000 only pays about $300 - $400 each for Medicare coverage. Then, if they're prudent in both instances, they buy a Medigap policy, which is not that expensive. Admittedly, this age group accounts for most of the health care spending. Medicaid could be eliminated by utilizing the subsidy angle under the same, basic healthcare program.
Now, what we're looking at in the House or Representatives plan, is that for people who are not retired and make well under $170,000, we're going to turn around and under the Nancy Pelosi plan a family of 4 will pay $1200 per month, which I'm sure will increase annually. There is something wrong with this picture.
I agree that something needs to be done, just not a band-aid like this plan. We need one plan for all citizens, not a variety of plans because of voting blocks that cast fear into the politicians, where if you're past a certain age yet still earn more than the average employed person, you pay a different, lower amount! Medicare was never supposed to supplement the retirement years of the wealthy on the backs of the middle class!
Thank you.
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