So, for all those celebrating, hold your horns and
confetti. For those who are preparing to
march and riot, maybe stop in at a fast food place and enjoy the dollar menu
for a while.
While you’re all waiting -- consider this. Before there was such a thing as widespread
or government health insurance the cost of medicine was far less than today
(even adjusted for inflation), why was that?
Was it far less government regulation?
Perhaps it was far less profit incentive (i.e. greed)? Maybe it was national demand? How about far less technology? Or, just maybe it was far more of a common
understanding of the costs and how to manage them on the part of the entire
industry.
Since the 1960s, we have created a regulated capitalistic
system designed to get the most dollars possible out of the greatest number of
places like the government or insurance companies. The government tells everyone what they will
pay, the insurance industry falls in line, and the hospitals charge twice that
so they can chalk up a loss on every treatment.
We as consumers NEVER EVER argue over what a treatment or operation
should cost. We don’t question the bills
that roll in and hold those responsible to actually account for them line item
by line item, as if it were our dollars being used.
If this legislation does become law, for all the claims of
the Republican politicians it will be no better than the law it replaces. It will make some people happy, it will make
some mad, but it will not fundamentally change the way we view and treat the
healthcare industry, and their accountants will continue to find ways to
exploit the regulatory framework to make the most profit, (this includes the
non-profits who just find ways to label the excess as not profit).
Why? Because long
ago we surrendered our responsibility to question.
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