Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly leader Fabian Nunez are touting their plan to reform health care in California
Reform healthcare. That's what they're saying. The governor and the Democrats in the state Senate. Reform, as in "make better" or "fix." While it is somewhat discouraging to see that the Democrats in California are using that term, what's really irritating is that the media has picked it up as well. The governor's plan is not reform. It will do nothing to fix the healthcare crisis.
The governor's plan has a couple flaws.
1) It does nothing to address the real problem with healthcare, which is that it costs too damn much. Arnold's plan is simply to use taxpayer money to help people pay for overpriced private insurance, partially "with fees on hospitals." How is that supposed to reduce costs?
2) It forces people to buy private insurance. Pumping more money into the broken system is not going to fix it. That would be like trying to fix the problem of lobbyist influence in DC by forcing everyone to hire a lobbyist, and then using tax dollars to "subsidize" the expense.
Basically, Arnold's plan is to funnel more money from the middle class into the pockets of the already wealthy CEOs of the bloated inefficient insurance industry. If there were any doubts that he's really a Republican, this should help to crush them. What's most surprising is that the Democrats are going along with him. Providing insurance for everyone is a laudable goal, but Arnold's plan is the wrong way to go about it.
Meanwhile, the California Nurses Association is urging senators to reject the Assembly bill in favor of a government-run, single-payer health care system.
When will people realize that's the only way to fix this problem?
2 comments:
Hey Mike........Thanks for adding a link to my blog, but it is more than OK it is FREAKING AWESOME!!! haha. I have never liked Awnold. At least not as a politician. Caleefornia is a mess and tackling healthcare in that state is so much for showboating! I do believe in a balance of power and in my opinion that is the problem in CA, too many dems, just like in Utah we have too many reps. It sounds to me like a little Kennedy influence coming from Maria. I am not sure what to go for as far as healthcare reform. I do know there are too many frivolous lawsuits driving prices up and in AZ illegals use the emergency rooms as doctor offices. They get free healthcare and I am sure that is why they try to cross the border even in 120 degree weather. So the anser to me is clear........grant us all illegal status and we can get free healthcare!!!!
N :)
Nikki,
The problem with people using the emergency room as their primary source of healthcare isn't limited to AZ, and it's not just poor people or "illegals," but anyone who can't afford insurance (or people who are denied insurance due to a pre-existing condition.)
A national healthcare system paid for through a sales tax would solve that problem. No longer would people have to go to the ER to see a doctor, which would help to bring costs down. Plus, everyone who buys things in the US would be paying into the system. Legals, illegals, tourists, students, whoever is here for whatever reason. There would be no more "free ride" for anyone, because everyone would be covered.
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