Unlimited

I recently spoke to a person of unlimited stupidity, no limits. This person thinks we can cover everyone's healthcare needs, inexpensively, no additional taxes, no increase to the budget deficit, no decrease in the quality of service to anyone (no additional doctors or nurses), birds will sing, the sky will be bluer, the planet will cool and the sea levels will drop when the government takes control of your health care and life. In these instances, I attempt to contain myself. I don't like calling people names. I have fought the urge for days, but I finally lost out. Healthcare or insurance reform or whatever, they are calling it today there is no plan. There really is no plan there are five or so proposals, but the plan will be worked out behind closed doors in a smoke-filled room. Allow me to digress. Regarding calling this person one of unlimited stupidity I must freely admit that I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. If I can figure this healthcare scam out it frustrates me that others can't. The current claim in one of the proposals is that 94% of the people will be covered. What of the remaining 6%. I thought we were doing this in order to ensure that everyone has health insurance. What of the millions (GAO estimates over 20 million) which will remain uncovered? We're going to destroy the best healthcare system in the world in order to cover some of the people. There are numerous reasons for the current high cost of healthcare. The liberal's claim that insurance companies are just plain evil doesn't even factor in to the top 10 reasons. Government programs (government run healthcare programs) artificially inflating the market is one of the leading reasons. Don't believe it, look back at healthcare cost prior to the 60s war on poverty. Both federal and state regulations additionally, contribute to these high-cost. Tort reform and I mean true tort reform would reduce the cost of healthcare by at least 20%. Physicians are being forced to purchase expensive malpractice insurance and doctors practicing defensive medicine (the cost of unnecessary test in order to protect themselves) contributes significantly to the cost. One of the goofy claims made is there's just not enough competition in healthcare. If only the government were present to compete with the evil insurance companies. This would drive the cost of healthcare down. There are over 1300 insurance companies nationwide selling health insurance. One more competitor will make no difference. Now to hurt the feelings of some people in our current entitlement society. If you truly want to reduce the cost of healthcare try paying out-of-pocket for routine health care needs. I know some will jump at this and say the poor and destitute cannot afford this. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about those of us still working, earning an income and taking care of our families. Insurance should be purchased to cover catastrophic health needs not simple office visits and inoculations. If this was insurance on your car in addition to accident, comprehensive and theft what would it cost if you also purchase coverage for your belts, wear and tear, oil changes, brake replacement, wind shield wipers and every other component on your car. I would venture to say the cost would be roughly that of what we're currently paying for health insurance.

It does not seem to bother many that the federal government's involvement in healthcare is unconstitutional. Don't just accept that from me, read the constitution or ask a constitutional scholar. That being said the most disturbing aspect of all to me is that people believe they have a right to their neighbors labors. What kind of an upbringing allows people to think that? Another misconception is that ensuring an additional 46 million,30 million,47 million or however many they claim today are without will not cost any more. It's just not possible. One more outrageous yet accepted claim is that in order to help pay for the destruction of healthcare the government will cut $450 billion of waste, fraud and abuse from Medicare. My question, if they know how to do that why haven't they done that already? Are they telling us they could have stopped it at any time yet they stood by and allowed the taxpayers to get ripped off year after year after year? And now for an undeniable truth. No government program has ever or will ever come in at cost or below. They always cost more. That's enough to ponder for now. Please don't just sit back and think that this will work itself out because it won't. Make a decision based on your beliefs and then let your representatives know what you want. After all they do work for you.

A. C. Smithson