Who Doesn’t Get It?

 

Stanley Feld M.D., FACP, MACE

California Senator Diane Feinstein speaking on health care on Monday April 12, 2010 said;

“I’ve gotten 90,000 emails and faxes on the health care bill and over 85,000 of them are against it. After all the debate we’ve had, I can’t believe so many people still don’t get it!"

What debate?

President Obama’s healthcare reform debate was one sided and not bipartisan.

Didn’t Nancy Pelosi say; “Americans will understand the bill once it is passed.”

Maybe Diane Feinstein doesn’t get it?

If 94.4% of her constituents are against the bill, maybe 94.4% of her constituents will vote against her in the upcoming election.

The will of the people is being ignored by President Obama and the Democrats.

Why?

The Democrats believe:

1. Americans need to be guided by big government in order to survive in our complex society.
2. Big government is superior to free enterprise.
3. Bureaucrats are more important than entrepreneurs.
4. Planning is more effective than innovation.
5. Redistribution of wealth and services are more important and much fairer than individual success.

Americans know that big government does not work. The government’s role should be to make the rules and then get out of the way. If the rules do not provide a level playing field the rules should be modified.

There are many examples of big government failure. One notable example is the U.S. Postal Service. It is going bankrupt while Fed Ex and UPS are successful.

I am sure President Obama wants to do the right thing.

However, he is going about it in wrong way. He is piling new healthcare reform on top of a failed healthcare system. (Medicare and Medicaid). His healthcare reform law cannot work. It can only waste more money

President Obama’s advisors have not been in the pits practicing medicine. If he really wanted to do something effective he should try to understand the real problems in the healthcare system and repair them.

Republicans have done no better. They have expressed their opinions within a framework established by President Obama and the Democrats rather than presenting a bold and new approach to healthcare reform.

The American people know President Obama’s healthcare reform law will fail at a high cost to the economy and the nation’s welfare. The Tea Party might represent the peoples’ rebellion. The movement is frightening both the Democrats and Republicans. Republican like to think the Tea Party is an arm of the Republican Party. I think both parties will be in for a surprise.

President Obama cannot throw money after a failed system and expect the system to improve. The healthcare system will not improve until the primary stakeholders (consumers and physicians) are provided with incentives and the ability to be innovative.

The primary stakeholders are the engine of the healthcare system. Bureaucrats and “non partisan experts” cannot make the healthcare reform system more efficient and operate at decreased cost.

The incentives should be directed to the patients and not the healthcare insurance industry or hospital systems. In a healthcare system Patients are First. In President Obama’s healthcare law big government and the secondary stakeholders are first.

Government should not require people to buy insurance. People must be responsible for themselves even if government gives them the money. I believe it is fine to provide for people who cannot afford healthcare insurance. However, the incentive must be financial. Healthcare reform will work only if it is consumer driven.

The healthcare insurance industry must be reformed. President Obama’s healthcare bill does not reform the healthcare insurance industry. The law does not revise the healthcare industry’s accounting rules. The healthcare industry will continue to take sixty five cents out of every healthcare dollar.

President Obama must provide incentives for to buy healthcare insurance. Instead the law imposes penalties if consumers do not buy healthcare insurance.

The ideal medical saving accounts provide consumers with the control of the first dollar coverage. It encourages consumers to use their money wisely. What they do not spend they keep for retirement. If a consumer has a chronic disease and uses his money wisely he receives a bonus.

President Obama must change American’s eating habits using public service announcements. He must change the way the farm industry is subsidized. The obesity epidemic is devastating the healthcare system.

President Obama must deal with the expense of defensive medicine. The only way to decrease defensive medicine is through effective malpractice reform.

Forcing Americans to be dependent on big government does not work. It creates all sorts of unintended consequences. President Obama should encourage an environment of self-reliance, innovation and independence.

None of the important issues needed to have effect a positive impact on the healthcare system are addressed in President Obama’s healthcare reform bill.

The opinions expressed in the blog “Repairing The Healthcare System” are, mine and mine alone.