Hypocrisy alert
I have to hand it to the Republican presidential candidates — they don’t flinch at throwing people under the bus to support a principle while they stand safely on the curb. Rudi Giuliani, John McCain, and Fred Thompson are all cancer survivors with great health insurance. But in the free market health care system they advocate, their fellow survivors usually can’t get coverage until they’ve been cancer-free for 10 years, if at all, and only then at an inflated premium. Their answer–tax breaks to pay for private coverage–mean nothing to those who have no access. But it’s the principle of the thing; we can’t have the government involved in the system.
Insurance companies make their money by cherry picking, selling only to those in the lowest risk groups to maximize their profits. Some states require them to broaden their pool and regulate their rates, but the companies often respond by pulling out of the state completely, leaving more people uninsured than before. So in most states if you’ve ever had a serious illness or have a chronic condition that requires ongoing treatment, good luck getting anyone to cover you. They can’t make enough money off of you. So you’re left with charity care, if you’re lucky enough to get it, or going without if you’re not.
The Republicans are ok with that. What are their free market answers? McCain says he’d “work with the states” to insure coverage. Guiliani says he’s aware of the problem and is debating how to address it. Thompson says nothing at all. None are willing to admit that fixing this mess is going to take government regulation at a minimum, and optimally active government participation.
This affects real people’s lives, lives very unlike those of Guiliani, McCain and Thompson. They can take health care for granted. The rest of us can’t.
I dare the candidates to apply for coverage under a pseudonym, but with their own medical histories, then publish the rates, along with their plans for working it into a real-world budget. Then we’ll see if they believe a tax credit will cover it.
It should be an eye-opener.
Via the LA Times
November 20th, 2007 at 11:25 am
If you can’t afford healthcare, you don’t deserve healthcare. Folk on the right are not big on empathy and the concept “there but for the grace of God go I” is totally foreign to them.
Check out this post on Bible Belt Blogger: Jesus Died So We Could Be Rich
November 21st, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Great link, Poet. Thank you!
November 26th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Hmmm. I can’t afford health care even though I work every day. My neighbor, on the other hand, is manic-depressive and a hypocondriac. She’s 10 years younger than me (early 30’s), has a very precious 3 year old boy, and she’s on disability. Her supposed “illness” has never been diagnosed, therefore, I can’t understand the basis for her being considered disabled. She is hooked on pain meds. Doctors call her a “mystery.” I call her LAZY!! She used her first draw to buy a new car with. I’m pissed, I tell ya! She’s a Democrat, by the way. I just say that to say that politics really has no bearing on this. The system’s been broken ever since it was instituted. While I don’t want you to think that I’m so uncharitable that I’m against helping those who are truly in need, I will say that there are people who do genuinely need such help. She, however, is not one of them. The best thing her mother could do for her, and she’s contemplating it, is to kick her butt out of the house. My husband and I are jockeying for the position to adopt the little boy she doesn’t care about and doesn’t want to raise. His father doesn’t want him either.
May 15th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Hi there, I just found this blog while looking for something.
It’s kind of late, but I wanted to add my wish that you finally get to have a real public health service.
I am Spanish, and luckily, our health service is really good and modern. Everybody has the right to be attended free, whatever he/she has, and the following of the illness is free as well. There are few exceptions as to what the public health does not cover: like optometricians and dentists. But those things are not really serious to your health.
I am very happy with it as in the last 20 years both my father and my mother have had cancer. What’s more, my mother has also hipotiroidism (? cronic disease). If we didn’t have our public health service, neither me nor my sister would be able to be in the university right now, we would be paying lots of bills. And let’s not talk about my grandparents.
I think it’s about really regulating the system and doing a real effort.
In my opinion, governments should care for their citizens’ health, as it allows them to be more productive and have less worries, which will return positively to society and economy.