Health Insurance

This morning reports of John McCain's health insurance reform ideas were all over the news. The idea of an open market seems capitalistic, and fitting for a democratic nation, at first glance. Open market on the professions, human condition careers and their supports. What a novel idea, I would like to explore that concept a little bit further. Lets examine the idea from the perspective of the insurance company, health care providers, and the patient using the who, what, when, where, how and why format.

Health Care Insurance Companies:
Who: Insurance companies present and those to be formed dealing with health care payment.
What: Health insurance will take money from members and purchase the care responses based on the member's level of membership.
When: This could take years to implement.
Where: United States, nation wide, not regionally.
Why: Uninsured patients are draining our medical cookie jar. Uninsured patients include people in the country illegally.
How: U.S. Government would give employer's health insurance payments directly to the health insurance company designated by the patient. Employers would no longer be the health insurance provider for employees. Patients would be independent consumers mining available health insurance providers for the most protection for the dollar. This would put pressure on the insurance companies to keep costs of memberships low.

Health Care Providers:
Who: Facility owners, facility supporters and direct care providers such as doctors, nurses, dentists, psychiatrists and others.
What: Dollars would come from Health Care Insurance Companies instead of the many money streams currently in place, including the Federal Government. Facilities would be directly beholden to the insurance companies.
When: This could take years to develop a system and put it in place.
Where: All of the United States as one.
Why: To standardize the quality and quantity of care and payment for that care as a patient driven and insurance company centered model.
How: This is a good question. How would the providers and the support system function under the patient driven model?

The Patient:
Who: The patient would decide on the insurance plan right for him/her and the family. Insurance companies, which would still strive to realize the maximum profit possible, would probably structure a multiple level care program approach.
What: The patient would decided on the plan based on their need and ability to pay for the extras. I would imagine the tiered membership would begin with the basics for check-ups and proactive items paid for, but radical procedures would not be paid for under the plans, without additional payment. Insurance companies have the data to study which ailments are common and which are uncommon and would structure a membership accordingly.
When: This is any one's guess.
Where: Everyone, no matter the geography or environment, would have a certain number of dollars to spend from the U.S. Government for health care insurance. I wonder how long a rural clinic and hospital would remain open and operational if there were not the people around who would maintain the facility. Would this lead to dis entitlement? Something to ponder.
Why: People, under this system, would drive the market. A market driven health insurance system partially or totally paid for by the government's direct pay of premiums to the insurance company. Did I get this right?
How: People would be able to decide which health insurance company would receive their health insurance dollars. Employers would no longer take part in the health welfare of employees, that responsibility would fall to the employee. For example, a farmer, who never did work for an employer, who never received government subsidy for employee health care, is going to be responsible for providing his/her own health care. How is this a change for those who are the bravest of our workforce? Are we going to expect the patient to know actuarally what they can expect to need care for? Are we going to expect the patient to know the language well enough to know what they are purchasing is what they will need?

I have some nagging questions. Will this lead to health care providers cow towing to insurance companies? Will such a system curtail research? Will this system turn insurance companies loose to know and manage everything? How will this help those who have no money to pay for insurance or are geographically or functionally distant from services?

Lawyers in the White House

The e-mail that prompted the formation of this blog was titled "This is not a Lawyer Joke" The e-mail began with: This article was in the "American Thinker"17 March 2008, The Lawyers' Party By Bruce Walker.
"The Democratic Party has become the Lawyers' Party. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are lawyers. Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama are lawyers. John Edwards, the other former Democrat candidate for president, is a lawyer and so is his wife Elizabeth. Every Democrat nominee since 1984 went to law school (although Gore did not graduate.) Every Democrat vice presidential nominee since 1976, except for Lloyd Benson, went to law school. Look at the Democrat Party in Congress: the Majority Leader in each house is a lawyer."

The e-mail goes on to say the Republican Party has no lawyer among the upper leaders, so who should we trust? Walker also mentions the founding fathers were not lawyers. No, they were visionaries, thinkers, and philosophers, while lawyers at that time were practitioners. Today, many of our thinkers and philosophers have gone to law school to learn the rules, not having to learn them on the job as they seek to provide legal protection for citizens under the law. Who would you rather have defending your rights under the law, a Texas oil and cattle rancher? We know how things turn out after 7 years of not having a legally trained mind where it counts.

What are people thinking when they say "Lord save us from educated people!" There are 3 professions, though some would count 5. Medicine safeguards our physical well being; the Clergy safeguard our spiritual well being; and Lawyers safeguard our rights as citizens. (Arguably, Prostitution and Engineering provide sexual and community supports, and if you count these, there are 5 professions.) Each of the first 3 require advanced training by some of the most intelligent among us, unless you count the lay ministries out there. Would you really want an untrained person as your surgeon? Then what makes people think we should have untrained folks as our leaders.

I think many Americans don't like educated people! Education must really frighten members of the masses for this kind of hatred and fear to be so prevalent. Is this why we are dumbing down our education systems, to make the fearful feel better? This is my real gripe, this is what really pushes my buttons! Dumbing down lets China leap ahead in the space race, Korea build our cars, and Japan build our electronics. We are in debt to China!!! We are loosing it folks, when we give way to fear and allow fear to rule us!

We need to provide incentives for intelligent students to strive to be the best, not feel afraid for being smart. We are creating the most intelligent gang leaders because we are so afraid to spend time and money on our brightest minds. All people are not created intellectually or physically equal, and we need to be okay with that. Perhaps we should regain our grip on reality by looking at successful school systems in Europe, stop throwing money at a system that isn't working, encourage and reward those who are the brightest to shoot for the Moon, and not worry so much if someone gets their feelings hurt in the process. If we don't shape up, we will be unable to catch up or even play the game in international circles. Education is power, and we are rapidly loosing both.

Now you know my beef, what about you?

Mother One

What is Right2Rage?

Hello Fellow Bloggers,

Is there something that is bugging you? Write about it!!! Mental health professionals claim writing your thoughts down is often the path to healing. Exactly why I am writing now.

A very dear and respected friend sent an e-mail to me the other day, that made me so angry, writing a response to the e-mail took me several hours. While I was writing my response, another friend called. I explained my distress, and off the top of his head, he said "Right to Rage" you could help others with just such a blog. So, here I am, up in the wee hours of the night, starting this exchange.

Come and Rage with me, we have the Right!
Mother One taking a stand!