Kia Franklin

Interesting Point/Counterpoint Health Care Debate

Health Care is Basic to Americans vs. Health Care Crisis is Overstated. Read it Here. Excerpt from “Health care is basic to Americans”:

The lack of affordable health care in America has become a national crisis that affects all of us on a daily basis. The problem is not with our doctors, nurses, hospitals or any of the other well-trained, professional, hard-working health-care providers. The problem is with our government — for not understanding and addressing the scope and magnitude of the problem, and with the insurance industry — for worshiping at the altar of profits with little or no regard for the health care of Americans.

The fact is that we organize as a society to promote the common good and the common welfare.

… It does not make for good policy to deny us the care that we need and deserve, and it surely doesn’t in any way promote the health, welfare or quality of life we should all enjoy…

Local medical societies, hospitals and doctors, chambers of commerce and cities and counties should become pro-active in leading the call for universal health care by pressuring those who refuse to do it.

Why? Because it’s the right thing to do, the moral thing to do, the smart thing to, and it should be the American thing to do…

And a bit from “Health-care crisis overstated”:

First Joe incorrectly claims the number of Americans without health insurance to be, “Nearly 47 million Americans, or 16 percent of the population.” He is incorrect. The actual number is probably somewhere between 8 million and 10 million. OK, still a large number, but 8 million and 10 million is nowhere as large as Joe and his liberal Democrat buddies try to make it…

All numbers aside, Joe and I do agree the health-care system needs some modifications. But to suggest government is the answer borders on insanity.

…So how do we handle the issue of health care in a rational way? Our first priority must be to get serious about tort reform. Tort reform is the only way to reduce the horrendous insurance premiums doctors are required to pay to protect themselves from trial attorneys. Limits have got to be placed on the amount of damages juries or judges can award plaintiffs…

Joe, before you slash and burn and attack insurance companies and health-care professionals, it seems to me consumers would be better served if we focused all that government you want involved in health care on changing the rules of your industry.

Posted at 5:35 PM, Jul 25, 2007 in Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)