Who's Right -- Who's Wrong

It is a confusing world today. But I am certain it has always been a confusing world. Take the debate over health care reform. I consider myself a fiscal conservative and a social moderate. I believe government, and affluent individuals, and not-for-profits, have a responsibility to care for the less fortunate and the "under-served." I completely agree with the concept of safety nets and I believe that governments must establish laws to regulate abuse and corruption.

I do not believe that any government or any people can afford to make all benefits available equally to all people. This may sound harsh, but no economy can be viable if everyone is said to have an inalienable right to equality in the receipt of all goods and services. It may sound nice, but is simply cannot be afforded. The burden placed on tax-paying citizens and corporations would be overwhelming.

It seems to me that the conflicts in Washington these days are more about core philosophies than they are about pure politics. The media wants us all to believe that most politicians are corrupt and self-serving. I do not believe that. There is plenty of corruption in Washington, but I believe it is a corruption of good intentions, rather than greed. The media chooses to make the debate about which party "cares about people" the most. I don't think that is the argument at all. If it could be afforded, I don't think any elected official would be against universal health care, or college education or home ownership.

We as a people must decide what, in the collective conscience of our society, is the appropriate path that 1) covers the most people possible, and 2) can be afforded by our society while allowing consistent innovation and growth in our economy. I don't pretend to have the answers, but as a compassionate AND responsible citizen I want rational debate. Name-calling and demagoguery are dysfunctional exercises that do not move us forward.

I wrestle with "should everyone compromise" or "stand-up for what they believe." Our country is based on the concept of compromise, so why not start to fix problems in health care by taking those things that everyone believes are wrong and fixing them?

If you are Republican, tell your elected officials to stop saying "no" to everything and start suggesting solutions. If you are a Democrat, insist that your party stop portraying Republicans as the evil, Wall Street, money-grubbers. There are real problems in health care. Our society and our corporations cannot afford the run away money-train in medical costs.

Here is my short list of things that can be done quickly and easily:

1. Tort reform is essential. Health care providers use the threat of law suits as an excuse for ordering unnecessary procedures (that pad their pockets). Limits on punitive damages would make a huge difference quickly.
2. Force insurance companies to compete across state lines. It is silly not to allow competition.
3. Force all insurance entities to use the same risk pool. Do not allow people with pre-existing conditions to be excluded from care, and don't let insurance companies cherry-pick who they cover.
4. Establish online databases that offer profiles of doctors and health care facilities, and posts their "retail" costs per visit and procedure, and encourage them offer discounts for cash.
5. Establish a marketplace where health insurance companies compete for subscribers. Let online decision tools help people choose the plan that is most appropriate for them at the lowest cost. (The Federal Employees Health Benefit Program is a good example of an existing marketplace, but currently it is only available to federal employees and retirees.)
6. Establish rebates on premiums or tax credits for consumer-based cost-saving decisions.

I believe in free-enterprise and in capitalism, but successful capitalism is based upon competition and rewards for productivity. In health care in The United States, we have virtually no competition. This is the fault of our elected officials over a long period of time and it needs to be fixed. If health care is not fixed, our entire society stands the good chance of becoming bankrupt.

I am sure I have missed a great number of critical issues, but let's encourage our elected officials to work together to solve the problems.