Health care Archives - Page 4 of 6 Voice For Liberty

Aug

Uninsured count needs explanation

One of the problems in the health care debate today is lack of facts -- at least facts that all sides of the debate can agree on. Without such agreement, without a basic set of facts and data to reason from, we're not likely to make any progress. One example of a fact often used as evidence is the high number of uninsured in America. Often the number cited is 45.7 million, which is a substantial fraction of our population. The source of this number is the United States Census Bureau report Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Swiss system could be best of the big-government reform alternatives

At a recent forum on health care in Wichita, the system of health care in Switzerland was mentioned as a system that we could learn from. Dr. Brian Michael, a physician at the Wichita Clinic, specializing in endocrinology, diabetes, metabolism and thyroid disease, outlined the basic characteristics of the Swiss system. Switzerland has no government health care and no employer-funded health care. Each person must purchase commercial insurance, and each person owns their own policies. (Michael also said that policies must be in effect for five years before changing carriers, but I have not been able to verify this feature.)…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Health care talk gives alternative to big-government reform

At a recent forum sponsored by the South Central Kansas 9.12 Group, Dr. George Watson of Park City, Kansas laid out a conservative case for health care reform. His message was different than that of most reformers: instead of more government involvement, we need less government. "Yes, we need change," he said. He also said that a public option will result in government takeover of medicine. Watson's plan for reform is this: Each patient or family owns their own policy. There are no mandates and no guaranteed issue. Permit purchases across state lines. Eliminate insurance company clauses that punish subscribers…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Not all health care administrative costs are wasteful

One of the issues discussed in the health care debate today is the allegedly wasteful administrative and overhead costs of private health insurance, compared to -- again allegedly -- efficient government processes. The Wichita Eagle today printed a letter from a citizen that made this claim. The article Comparing Public and Private Health Insurance: Would A Single-Payer System Save Enough to Cover the Uninsured? makes some useful points. First, "Administrative costs for private health insurance, defined broadly, are in the range of 11-14 percent of total premiums." For Medicare, the figure usually cited is 3%. But when "combined with a…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

What type of turf is a lie?

The Lone Star Times reports how, at a town hall meeting in Texas, an Obama supporter claimed to be a physician when asking a question. But she isn't: Obama camp plants fake doc, Che fan at Jackson Lee forum. (I wonder if this happened at the same Sheila Jackson Lee town hall where the Member of Congress talked on the telephone while citizens asked questions. Classy.) "Astroturf" is a term used to describe fake grassroots political activity. What type of turf is an outright lie?

Aug

By Bob Weeks

The real right to medical care versus socialized medicine

In 1994, George Reisman wrote a pamphlet explaining the problems with America's health care system. He criticized the Clinton plan for reform, and offered an alternative based on freedom and markets rather than government interventionism. It is a brilliant work, and still relevant today: "I wrote this essay to help defeat the Clinton plan for socialized medicine. In all essentials it’s as valid today as it was then. It’s a demonstration that government intervention inspired by the philosophy of collectivism is the cause of America's medical crisis and that a free market in medical care is the solution for the…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Health reform: look at Oregon

In less than 90 seconds this video highlights the upside-down priorities of Oregon's Medicaid system. Lobbying groups have used the political process to push coverage for special-interest causes like substance abuse and weight loss treatment ahead of treatments for some kinds of cancer on the priority list. Having decisions like these made by the political process: is this the type of health reform we want?

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Eliminate all health insurance profits, and what’s left?

Those who advocate government takeover of health care and the elimination of private insurance cite the "wasteful overhead" and "high profits" of health insurance companies. There's a lot in this argument that doesn't make sense. For one, most companies that are trying to earn a profit seek to eliminate as much waste and overhead as possible. Competitive markets force them to do so. It's puzzling to me that those who rail against greed don't acknowledge that it is a powerful motive for efficiency and cost reduction. While the health insurance market isn't as competitive as it could be, due to…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Eugene Robinson doesn’t get it

"I don't know if you'd call it passion or manufactured passion ... the uproar at these meetings is counterproductive .. and it's organized, which I think is the most disturbing part of it." That's the Washington Post's Eugene H. Robinson speaking today on MSNBC's Morning Joe. Host Joe Scarborough inquired is it disturbing because it's organized? Robinson replied that if he were a Democratic strategist, he'd be tempted to ask unions to send people to meetings. Scarborough said unions been doing just this -- organizing people to go to town hall meetings -- for years. The exchange went on for…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Sebelius takes cover in loving union arms

"Possibly to avoid any confrontation with concerned citizens who have read the proposed health care legislation in Congress, HHS Secretary Sebelius will hold a conference call on Friday with health care activists and SEIU members." SEIU -- that's the Service Employees International Union -- recently called for higher taxes in Wichita through Harold Schlechtweg, its local business representative. Now this union will provide a friendly audience for former Kansas governor, now Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. Read more background at the Kansas Meadowlark post HHS Secretary Sebelius to use safe SEIU conference call for "myth busting." By…