Medicare is the best health insurance in America, today. No/few pre-authorizations required; no gatekeeper primary care physicians mandated; largest available provider and hospital network (over 90% of all physicians and hospitals in the nation); lowest rate of medical bankruptcies; unsurpassed medical outcomes; lowest cost; ; most transparent and patient-friendly appeals process; highest consumer satisfaction. The only reason Medicare is in trouble is that it can't raise Medicare taxes at the same breathtaking rate that private insurance companies have raised insurance premiums. Allow Medicare to negotiate drug costs with pharmaceutical companies and Medicare would be even more cost effective.
As a general rule, the purely private sector provides better services and the most competitive price. Health care is a monster exception to this rule, for the fatal reason that, in health care, the sellers (doctors) make the most important purchase decisions on behalf of the buyers (patients). ObamaCare includes $11 billion for piloting reimbursement programs based on health care outcomes obtained, as opposed to services delivered. This is the same approach endorsed by Tim Pawlenty, among others.
What I don't like is that health care is being sold entirely on its projected benefits to the already insured. ObamaCare proponents appear almost embarrassed to point out the benefits to the currently uninsured -- especially to the working poor. RomneyCare is already an unqualified success in this latter area.
- Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach CA
Any reasonable person would see immediately the advantages of the Canadian system and/or many of the European systems of universal health care. Heck, even Cuba provides for every person. Any disciple of Jesus would acknowledge the need and moral obligation to take care of the sick and disabled. But in the USA the fight is over nebulous 'what ifs' concocted by a myriad of persons opposed to any solution. The worst of these is the claim we can't afford it and there aren't enough doctors to go around to take care of everybody. A simple solution is womb to tomb MediCare for all. It would be vastly cheaper and more effective than the current balkanized system of for profit health providers and insurance companies. Yet in the name of some mysterious 'freedom to be sick' and pay our own way, we refuse to even consider the proposal. I can only conclude that we are sick, perhaps unto death. Extreme Unction, anyone?
Medicare is the best health insurance in America, today. No/few pre-authorizations required; no gatekeeper primary care physicians mandated; largest available provider and hospital network (over 90% of all physicians and hospitals in the nation); lowest rate of medical bankruptcies; unsurpassed medical outcomes; lowest cost; ; most transparent and patient-friendly appeals process; highest consumer satisfaction. The only reason Medicare is in trouble is that it can't raise Medicare taxes at the same breathtaking rate that private insurance companies have raised insurance premiums. Allow Medicare to negotiate drug costs with pharmaceutical companies and Medicare would be even more cost effective.
As a general rule, the purely private sector provides better services and the most competitive price. Health care is a monster exception to this rule, for the fatal reason that, in health care, the sellers (doctors) make the most important purchase decisions on behalf of the buyers (patients). ObamaCare includes $11 billion for piloting reimbursement programs based on health care outcomes obtained, as opposed to services delivered. This is the same approach endorsed by Tim Pawlenty, among others.
What I don't like is that health care is being sold entirely on its projected benefits to the already insured. ObamaCare proponents appear almost embarrassed to point out the benefits to the currently uninsured -- especially to the working poor. RomneyCare is already an unqualified success in this latter area.
- Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach CA