Blue Moon

Here is one of the best articles I've read about health insurance reform.

And it's written by a Democrat.

I warned you; blue moon!

Please read the whole thing.  It's long - but I assure you it is worth your time.

Comments

[Greg]

I am curious as to what makes this such a good read? Is it because it is someone who is a Democrat who haves differences with the approach he see's might occur, or is it because he thinks along the same lines as you?

It is a simple question, because I do not know what expertise David Goldhill has with health care policy so I am wondering outside of his personal story, what substance does he bring to this issue?

[Peg]

I don't agree with everything that he writes. But - overall, I think that his perspective is correct about how the underlying pinnings must work for health insurance to function properly.

I don't know if you own a car or not, Greg. But - if you do, do you have insurance that covers putting gas in it? New windshield wipers? Getting it cleaned?

If not - then why do we have so-called "health insurance" that covers the equivalent for your body?

A good start would have health INSURANCE cover catastrophic events. For the rest of it - just PAY for it, as you would if you needed an oil change or a tank of gas.

My house insurance does not cover new carpeting or a cleaning lady. Ditto.

[Greg]

My question was an inquiry into what makes you think he has any concept of what works and what does not work in the area of health care. What background does he have to give his opinion any credibility what so ever? I could find a homeless person on the street with an opinion also, would you also find that a viable resource as well? But let me set aside the homeless person, here is a person seems to have some credibility on this issue.

Wendell Potter on Health Care
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-qxejjE0KY

I am not sure how you made the leap from health care, and health care insurance to some imaginary insurance auto insurance policy that covers gas and windshield wipers. I am curious, as to who is proposing anything such as that? Seriously, who is proposing health care coverage for anything and everything? If there is no such talk of this being the case, then I have not a clue as to what you are speaking about.

You wrote:

A good start would have health INSURANCE cover catastrophic events.

Interesting, how do you propose this to happen? People go without insurance not because they want to, it is because they cannot afford it. But here is a very interesting fact, perhaps this is more in line in what you are talking about.

Why do 92% of the French buy Supplemental private health Insurance if they have Single Payer?

More than 92% of French residents have complementary private insurance. This insurance pays for additional fees in order to access higher quality providers. Private health insurances makes up 12.7% of French health care spending. These complementary private insurance funds are very loosely regulated (less than in the U.S.) and the only stringent requirement is guaranteed renewability. Private insurance benefits are not equally distributed so there is, in essence, a two-tier system.

So here you have a system which provides just the basics for the citizens and if you want more, or want to cover more cost you can still purchase a private policy that would cover more cost, or more procedures. That way we could no longer see stories such as this:

Boy Dies from Abscessed Tooth
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/164436/boy_dies_from_abscessed_tooth.html

[Peg]

Greg; sorry. I forgot both that you like to screen out that which you do not like and that you don't seem to understand analogies.

#1: - Apparently you didn't read the prelude to the article. The author RESEARCHED THIS for years after his father died. End of story; the man did research. Apparently the Atlantic decided that his research was well sourced and made some sense; why they published it. I don't know if they would think the same of research by a homeless person; perhaps that question shall remain a mystery.

#2: As for my analogy - you are correct. NO ONE is proposing that our auto insurance cover getting gas in your car or oil changes or new window wipers. That would be silly - just as it is silly to have health insurance to cover a check-up with the doctor or a visit because we have a sore throat.

"Insurance" generally covers CATASTROPHIC events. Your house burns down. Tens of thousands of items are gone during a robbery. For auto INSURANCE, you are covered if you incur thousands of dollars of damage in an accident or natural disaster.

Health insurance should be the same. It should cover unexpected, major problems: surgery, cancer treatment, etc. Not the flu. Not an x-ray. Etc etc.