If Lewis Black Can't Get Proper Health Insurance, Can You? (VIDEO)
"To make health a profit-making institution is psychotic," rants Lewis Black while discussing his belief in God (or not). He's speaking about his faith with Bob Schieffer at the Aspen Ideas Festival and gets sidetracked when he lists health care that actually pays the doctor's bill.
Black has policies with three insurance companies and complains that even with so much coverage, he can't get his costs covered.
This anecdote is amusing even as it points to a major shortcoming of our current health care system. We already have too many options -- and I'm not talking only about the abundance of private options for someone like Mr. Black. I'm thinking also of the swirl of federal Medi-programs. If we're going to embrace an "insurance policy" approach to insurance, then we must aim for a one person, one policy standard.
Watch the full program at FORA.tv.
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You know what people need more than health insurance? Food and housing. So with the argument, why should food or housing be profit making?
Okay, time for free market 101.
Free markets rely on every individual to act in his or her own enlightened self interest. They rely on all parties acting as an effective advocate for his or her own interests.
Healthcare, by definition, can never act as a rational, efficient market. When you are sick, or injured, you cannot negotiate effectively with your provider or your insurance company. You cannot do your homework, or act effectively to protect your own interests.
More, medicine is a highly complex and specialized field. The average lay person can't even act as an effective advocate for themselves when healthy, much less when injured, ill and/or in pain. Healthcare is also a special case because - in all the other markets you claim will fall to socialization - the costs of failure while tragic, do not include people dying as a direct result of the other party's action or inaction.
When an insurance company takes advantage of people, some of them die - not in an indirect fashion - but directly. Lack of effective, timely care leads to death and permanent disability. Few other 'markets' have that consequence. People ( in America ) don't starve if they can't afford to shop at Whole Foods. People don't die if they don't get approved for a mortgage. They do die when insurance companies refuse to pay for necessary and medically effective treatments.
Having health care be a profit-making industry is nothing more than blackmail.
"You'll die if you don't give me a lot of money first! And even if you do give me a lot of money, I'll say that it doesn't cover what's killing you, and you'll probably die anyway! MUHAHAHAHA!!!"
--quote, Any Health Insurance Company.
In this line of thinking, farming, and construction is also blackmail. Are you going to call farmers who are trying to make a living evil blackmailers
When you buy food or housing you get a real product. When you buy insurance you get the promise that, should you need care, the company will reimburse you for the cost. So, farmers and construction companies give you something real, and insurance companies give you a promise. Which is more trustworthy?
With a little bit of effort, I can grow my own food, and I can build my own shelter.
If I become critically injured however, I will be unable to fix myself. And it is wholly unethical for someone who is providing a service that I cannot provide to myself to take advantage of me -- financial, or any other.
lewis black is great!
god v. no god?
well there's something going on because how else do you explain tom's putt on 18???
GOD YES!!! Made me want to bawl like a little girl! Oh wait...I am a little girl. Oh well.. I was at the Crosby tournament following Tommy around at Pebble Beach the year he won while playing with Clint Eastwood, (pant, pant!) and Mac Davis ( who was an absolute sweetie) and I saw Pres. Ford, George C. Scott (Patton) and tons of other cool people. The day was cool, breezy, typical coastal weather and Later had dinner at the Hogsbreath Inn (Clints' place) where (be still my heart) Mac Davis was also having dinner and he eye-flirted with me from across the room! My boss's wife was Sooooooo jealous. It was a great weekend and I have loved Tommy Watson ever since. P.S. I also dig Lewis.
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