Fearing Government Involvement in Health Care

One of the mantras of the opposition to meaningful health reform has been a fear of a government takeover of the health care sector. This fear is expressed virtually nonstop on talk radio, the right wing blogosphere, Fox News and at town hall meetings across the country. As we know, for better or for worse, the Obama administration is not proposing a government takeover of the entire health care system, but overstatement and exaggeration is unavoidable in these kinds of debates.

The image of government takeover of health care is meant to strike fear into good market oriented Americans who believe the government can do nothing right, particularly in an area as difficult, personal and important as health care. The fear of government involvement in any aspect of our life is a deeply held American value which allows us to continue to believe in the myth of small government. It is any easy fear to exploit even when speaking to people who have good jobs because they studied at public universities, know their parents have enough to eat because of social security, drive to work on federally funded highways and generally live in the 21st century industrialized world.

Nonetheless, opponents of health care reform believe fear of government involvement in health care to be something shared by all Americans. Before we collectively start quaking in fear of a government takeover of health care it might make sense to slow down and consider that a fair amount of our health care system already has strong government involvement.

Old people, some poor people and veterans already have government supported health care through Medicare, Medicaid and various veterans benefits. These programs are, of course, far from perfect, but they are pretty good. While many seniors would like to see Medicare reformed, it is rare to see senior citizens, or organizations of senior citizens call for abolishing Medicare. Similarly, many veterans, some who served decades ago rely on veteran's hospitals for an important part of their health care. My father is a veteran who voices more than the occasional criticism of the US government, but I have never heard him say that he wishes veterans didn't get any health care or that the government should close the veterans hospitals.

Senior citizens and veterans are both well organized and powerful interest groups, representing tens of millions of Americans, but government involvement in the health care sector has hardly caused any pubic outrage among these two key constituent groups. On the contrary, both usually push very hard for the expansion of Medicare and veterans benefits. If the American people really wanted government out of the health care industry, or if the government was unable to play a useful and positive role in the delivery of health care, it is pretty likely that these groups would have made a lot of noise about this issue years ago, but they have not.

Medicaid recipients are not as well organized as either veterans or senior citizens, but recipients of Medicaid very rarely argue for weaker Medicaid programs or less involvement by the government in providing health care services. Again, the opposite is true. Recipients of Medicaid have often shown a preference for bigger programs with more government involvement.

Medicare, Medicaid and veterans' benefits have become an indispensible part of our health care system providing valuable services and benefits to people, many of whom would have very few health care options were it not for these government programs. This is something which should be kept in mind when scare tactics about government takeover of health care are used. These programs also demonstrate the inaccuracy, or perhaps nuttiness, of some of the more outlandish claims about Obama's proposed programs. For example, if the government were really going to ration health care or set up "death panels" as part of government health care programs, wouldn't the government have started by doing these things to the poor, the elderly or disabled veterans-precisely the people who rely on the government for health care today.

The Obama administration, of course, is not proposing a full government takeover of the health care system, but they are proposing increased government involvement in health care. An incremental change of this kind, while likely to make a tremendous difference in the lives of some, although unfortunately probably not all, of those currently uninsured, is simply not a radical measure. It does not represent a new way of paying for health care services in the US, but a readjustment to the relative balance of the public and private sectors in health care and a way to leave fewer people with no health care at all, which is what most Americans really fear.,

Comments

[Alabama John]

We have a capitalist government that gives everyone the freedom to compete for excessive wealth. The reverse of a democratic government where everyone has the freedom of equality, as established in the only way possible, by equal wealth.

So, a well-to-do 60% majority is allowed by law to enslave in poverty wages our 40% laboring class.

And so, we have a debate: Is healthcare wages due and owed to the laboring class?

Truth is the solution is very simple, Medicare for all like Canada or England, or 100% regulation of the medical industry like Sweden. Problem is that would totally destroy our capitalist government, and a well-to-do majority is not to keen on doing it.

[JXJASON]

http://kucinich.house.gov/

Congressman Dennis Kucinich has written HR676, a public option, and has support from 85 members of the House.

If you want a public option, you should tell your members of Congress and President Obama.

Medicare and the Veterans Administration are government run. I am a US. Navy vet and I get excellent care from the VA Health Care System.

[RJC]

Right now insurance companies and executives decide what treatments you are allowed to have, denying coverage to people, denying procedures, medicines etc. It's not between a doctor and their patients, that is the second biggest lie they always tell. The biggest lie is claiming we have the best healthcare in the world, we are # 31 or so by any objective measure you want to use. The only thing our healthcare is best at is making millionaires into billionaires. Some of the people that run these hospital groups and insurance companies are making salaries of over $ 100,000,000 a year each, many other executives are making only in the tens of millions annually. That's what this is really about, greedy corporate executives not wanting to have to account for or curtail their outrageous salaries. And all the right wing lemming ditto heads perpetuate this and fall right into the hands of the very rich trying get even richer at the expense of the rest of us. Our existing system of corporate care kills hundreds of thousand annually by denying coverage, procedures, and medication. Pure unadulterated corporate greed. FYL ( For You Lemmings ), Medicare and Medicaid is the govt.

[Ricardo Aviles]

Congratulations! You sure hit the nail in the head. These greedy guys are the ones that have ruined the U.S. economy and will continue to do so if Americans don't see what is happening around them. The big Insurance Corporations don't care about our health. All they care about is how to get more money out of us without having to help us as they should. All they worry about is the big bonuses the 500 or so CEO's will get this year and the next. This has to change in order for health care to be what it was meant to be in the first place. Insurance companies competing for our money is dangerous to our health. Change must come and soon!

[dukerone]

Have the Republicans and Indendents forgotten that the military is a government run program. I’m not sure why people are so worried about the government running healthcare and not worried about the government having guns, planes, tanks, ships, and atomic weapons. Everyone is willing to go into great debt to have a strong military, but hate the idea when it comes to helping others.

[JXJASON]

dukerone, Excellent point.

Follow up with an email or letter or phone call to your two US. senators and your congressman.

TELL THEM TO GET OUT OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, REDUCE THE DEFENSE BUDGET BY 30% AND CLOSE SOME BASES IN EUROPE AND SOUTH KOREA.

Then we can have MEDICARE for more people.

Also, the VA hospital system is run by the federal government. I receive quality care at reasonable cost from the VA Health Care System.

[twinkerbell]

The thing that bothers me the most about the Repubs and the BlueDogs is if their view of health care (meaning staus quo) prevails is that thousands of people will die, and they just don't care. Most of them profess to be Christians, yet I think that Jesus might be appalled by their actions. They certainly don't love thier nieghbors as themselves.".

[conguy777]

By the way, the President is pressing the Swiss Bank to release the names of those who hold Swiss bank accounts while Congressing is pressing insurance companies to see how they used their money including for their retreats meanwhile they try to get us to see they need new million dollar jets...they reak of hypocrisy and authoritar­ianism!!!!

[CatherineK]

The same people who scared the US population into am illegal war in Iraq, are the very same people who are scaring the elderly and poor of America to campaign against their own economic interests and health care reform.

Surely the dishonesty they engaged in in the run up to the Iraq war, should be enough warning to us all:

EDUCATE OURSELVES on the issues and ignore the fear mongerers who are armed only with their loathing of the poor.

[JXJASON]

Support HR676. Representative Dennis Kucinich, of WAKE UP AMERICA fame, has co- authored this health care reform bill. 85 members of the House have supported HR676.

Also tell your friends.

[turkeywrld]

Iv'e heard NOTHING anywhere regarding the MORALTY of "for profit' healthcare..nor much about a government which seems to be controlled ,maily by monied interests, motivated by profits, rather than the wishes,needs and desires to provide basic rights to citizens,,who pay, via taxes for governance..
Getting slightly off the subject .. what about the morality of the largest ($ trillions) weapons of mass destruction producing/exporting industry on the planet..all paid for by the unwitting Taxpayer ??Who actually benefits from this vile insanity?????
Is it "socialism" to pay for our firefighters from taxes?? is it "socialism"to pay for out childrens education from taxes? is it socialism to pay for our police forces from taxes ?? if not ...the WHY can we not have the basic human right that exists in ALL civilised countries... taxpayer funded healthcare??? what a bunch of mis informed dupes we have become.....

[overd0g1]

You shouldn't need an explanation of the morality of free trading. A physician offers a service at a price. The buyer accepts or rejects the offer. That is morally perfect.

[stick458]

Well said.

[alabaman]

If you want your "morally perfect" libertarian society, take a time-travel trip with the dose of insanity Vulcan poster to another galaxy, far, far away.

[idest]

I suppose you pay the fire department when they come to your house for their services? Or not pay and have your house burn down.

I suppose you pay the police officer who stops a crime, or not pay and let the crime continue?

I suppose you take your checkbook out whenever you see a member of the military, or maybe you don't. If not, I guess in your world you don't deserve protection by the military.

Best of luck to you.

[CatherineK]

http://johnhall.house.gov/

FACT Versus FICTION:

MYTH: HR 3200 subsidizes health insurance for illegal aliens.
FACT: HR 3200 explicitly prohibits illegal aliens from receiving any Federal dollars to subsidize health insurance. "Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States", is the direct quote found in Section 246. Section 242 also explicitly limits eligibility for subsidies to individuals who are lawfully present in the US. Some opponents are distorting a provision in this section that ensures that all of the income earned by members of a family is counted for the purpose of determining eligibility for subsidies, to falsely suggest that illegal aliens in a family would be eligible. This is a phony and a blatantly wrong reading of HR 3200.

MYTH: HR 3200 will lead to out-of-control deficit spending.
FACT: HR 3200 is 100 percent paid for. It is financed through a combination of payment reforms from within the health care sector and a new surcharge on the richest Americans.CBO cites an increase in the federal budget deficit of $239 billion over 10 years, however under statutory House pay-go adopted in July, this new spending is already set aside and does not count toward the cost of the bill.

[stick458]

"a new surcharge on the richest Americans." Like they don't already fund everything? "Socialism is great until you run out of other people's money."

[CatherineK]

1- THE MESSAGE IS GETTING LOST, BROKEN DOWN AND DOMINATED BY THE FEAR MONGERING OF THE REICH WING.

2- THE DEMOCRARTIC PARTY AND THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ARE FAILING TO MAKE THE REFORM UNDERSTANDABLE TO THOSE IT IS DESIGNED TO HELP.

SO THE RECIPIENTS OF THE PROPOSED 'GOOD HEALTH CARE' PROMISED IN THE REFORM ARE FIGHTING IT BECAUSE OF 1 AND 2 COMBINED.

A FEAR FILLED POPULATION CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THEIR OWN BETTER ECONOMIC ISSUES! WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS!

[adoseofsanity]

Here's a little honesty out there.....­....FINALL­Y!

A liberal Yale scholar (Jacob S. Hacker), widely regarded as the originator of the “public option” idea of creating a government run insurance provider to compete with private-sector insurance companies, told CNSNews.com that he does not see the public option as a "Trojan Horse" that could lead the United States to single-payer, government-run health insurance.

“I do not see my ‘Health Care for America’ proposal as a route to single payer,”............

We’re going to get there (to a government-run system)--over time, slowly, but we’ll move away from reliance on employment-based health insurance, as we should.

“But we’ll do it in a way that we’re not going to frighten people into thinking they’re going to lose their private insurance. We’re going to give them a choice of public and private insurance when they’re in the pool, and we’re going to let them keep their private employment-based insurance if their employer continues to provide it.”.......

Hacker told CNSNews.com in an e-mail that his 2008 statement was being misconstrued because he meant only to say that the public plan itself would not be disguised--or a hidden “Trojan horse.”

“It is not: The PUBLIC PLAN IS RIGHT THERE IN THE OPEN.............."

For the full article: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/52716

I must admit, his HONESTY is quite REFRESHING isn't it?

[alabaman]

Thanks so much for that mind-melding investigative reporting. You've completely exposed the plot. Don't waste your time posting here. Use those Vulcan skills and get a paid job with Fixed News.

[CatherineK]

The article is part of a logical non hysterical debate- which is what an issue of this importance deserves.

The GOP have nothing but contempt for the population of this country- as evidenced by their fear mongering dishonest discourse.

It is time for a revolt- against HATE FILLED DISHONEST POLITICS.

[Jenny73]

All of this complaining about what the government can't do about healthcare and no one's talking about what it already does. Taxpayers already pay for healthcare through General Hospitals and Indigent Care programs, never realizing how important it is to their daily lives. Most major cities have these hospitals and they are responsible for taking care of the unemployed, under-employed, homeless, city/county jail inmates, suicide watch, detox, uninsured cancer patients, Infectious Diseases, unresponsive patients, car accident victims, shooting victims and the list goes on and on and most of them do not get paid for there services. Yet we still need them and they continue to provide even when their budget's are getting smaller and smaller due to tax cuts.

In my state the General Hospital is one of the few Trauma I level facilities in the state, these hospitals are also responsible for training, in one way or another, most of the first responders and emergency personnel for the state. Since urban areas have become so violent General's are also responsible for training military health personnel on what it's like to work in a combat/out of control facility.


Think about who takes care of you the next time you get sick in a strange city and the only place to go is the General Hospital or when you get into an accident and are unresponsive and the General is the closest place. They need you and we DEFINATELY need them.

[overd0g1]

The way things are isn't the way the have to be.

[pjcpa]

Everyone needs to read the following article as it makes perfect sense to me. If the people of this administration cannot even explain what they are advocating, then "Houston, we have a problem".

www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aJ01reSCujDQ

[star3]

Absolutely right on!

[den1953]

I fear the big insurance companies oh wait they control the Republicans oops my mistake!

[stick458]

And the trial lawyers and union thugs control the dems.

[alabaman]

Unions and trial lawyers are midgets compared to Big Pharma, Big Banks, Big Insurance. The trial lawyers couldn't stop securties litigation "reform" or bankrupticy "reform." And they are only ones who can hold Big Pharma, Big Banks, Big Insurance and Corporate America accountable for their actions. Our govt, including sadly many Dems, only help them advance their agernda/.

[star3]

den1953 (maybe you should have added an "s e" at the end of your nick), nobody is controlling anyone----yet, but they are sure as he-- trying!

[readyfornewleadership]

March on Washington for Health Care Reform – September 13th

Pass it on

[power1]

Sorry, you didn't convince me as I'm still afraid of it.

[Kye154]

Make sense to slow down and consider our government's role in health care? Teddy Roosevelt, (a "Progressive Republican" no less), was the first to introduce the concept of Universal Health care in 1901. It has taken us 108 years to get where we are now, on national health care. Why should we slow down to think about it any longer? We have procrastinated long enough. We Americans are getting quite a bad reputation abroad for not taking care of our own people and resolving our own domestic issues. The health care in this nation is a shameful embarrassment!