The concept that every time someone says “Healthcare”….the bird comes down and gives the Federal Government $100 dollars….is ludicrous. Why is it that whether you are talking Healthcare with Insurance Companies, University Science Centers, Doctors, Hospitals, Big Pharma, Government Agencies or State and Federal Governments….everyone wants a piece of the big Healthcare pie?
The Senate Finance Committee met today with a variety of so-called experts to discuss some possible changes to some our current US Health Care Legislation. Before you could say Johnson & Johnson…..these people were reaching into the pockets of taxpayers because they wanted to penalize with people that already had Corporate or Private Health Care programs with the possibility of a huge tax on the assessed evaluation of those benefits. The discussion soon degenerated into talking about “Regional Benefit Pay Schedule Variations”. The “Experts” were amazed that doctors in New York, California and Florida seemed to live in areas where they got more money for servicing their patients.
The conversation seemed to circle like vultures around “Who was going to get what”, “How much was this group going to get from who?” “How much can we take from people ‘with Health care’ to give it to people that might get it?” The chat about “Economies of Scale” was a big hit…….as if by some magical formula…..throwing millions more into the pot will help a nurse someplace put a band-aid on a boo-boo! The “Regional Variation” theme was big, the loaded and leveled tax assessments based on variable “Means Testing by Region”….seemed quite capable of making most people’s eyes glaze over quickly.
Robert Greenstein, Executive Director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities….represented those that want the new system, so complex, so convoluted that virtually no one will understand it. He wants the IRS running games throughout, he wants rules and regulation that have absolutely nothing to do with “one doctor” anywhere providing health care to anyone in the United States. He wants all that currently have Health Care to lose any “IRS Tax Exclusion” for Corporate or Private supplied Health Care programs. Mr. Greenstein is not our friend. He wants people to take away “Tax Credits for Deductibles” – Mr. Greestein is not the pal of the average citizen.
James Klein, President of the American Benefits Council seemed to have a better grip on reality. Klein says we need keep “Tax Exclusions” for those who are already in the system. Klein believes that “Regional Pricing for Health Care” and the prerequisite benefits paid by the government for those benefits should be easy to understand. How about creating “Regional Benefit Pay Schedules” for doctors, patients and for the States invovled?
All in all, “The Usual Suspects” that gathered back in 1992 are back. They all want their piece of the pie. They all could care less whether one more person is provided Health Care in the country. We might want to gather some new crows, vultures or blue birds to take a look at what might work and how we can improve Health Care – not complex it, not raise taxes on anyone to improve it. There seems to be too much money in system already.
What wasn’t discussed was “A Set Aside Fund” for hospital that are presently providing “Emergency Care” for “illegal aliens and those without insurance”, that could keep the Hospitals in business. What they did discuss was the need to “expand use of Generic drugs”. Notwithstanding, the fact that Big Pharma has been gaming this system for years. The outlook for a new National Healthcare System looks like tough sledding for the foreseeable future and it will be important that we not fail to keep all those with a desire for a fat wallet….including Government to be held accountable.
Eliminating employeer subsidized health care should certainly be a key element of any reform that aims for a more equitable system. Of course none of the pigs at the trough want to yield an inch.
*Eliminating Employer Heathcare should start with the Federal Government. You want to make the system fair Morrissey…..try taxing every dime that Elected Officials get in Healthcare benefits.
Then go after every Teacher, every Public Employee and every Bureaucrat. Then you can go after every Auto worker….that is left. Then you can go after every Banking interest, every 501-C3 and everybody else. That should leave those illegal aliens that you can provice healthcare to at Government Expense. Are you mental Morrissey? We are ready for you to state your case…..come on down!
Winship’s,
The word you missed is “subsidized”. Nothing wrong with employers negotiating a health care plan for you – of course, without the tax write-off they’ll get out of the health benefit voluntarily.
*Try “Incentives & Encouragement” to provide
Healthcare for the people? You might have a
point if Government and Non-Profits were not
competing for the same services. If your
Federal and Medicare Programs were “less than”
what “private industry” offered..you might have
a point!