by Elizabeth Lee Vliet, M.D.
The Healthcare Summit made it clear that we face polar opposite choices:
1. Will we have individual control of our healthcare insurance and services? The Republicans presented cogent ideas for free market, patient-centered, lower cost options to improve healthcare delivery and private insurance.
OR
2. Will Washington control our healthcare options? Democrats continued their aggressive push on a radical agenda to transform 1/6 of our economy by government regulation of healthcare with federal panels to tell us what options we are allowed. The Democrats plan is clear: ram their agenda through on the devious tactic of “reconciliation,” AN OBSCURE BUDGET PROCEDURE never intended for such massive social transformation of our economy and infringement of our freedom.
If the “reconciliation” tactic fails, “Plan B” focuses on “insurance reform”–setting up government-dictated coverage and price controls for private insurance companies.
Insurance “reform” has a “take-care-of-you” tone that sounds good: government “protects” people who have pre-existing conditions by requiring insurance companies to cover them and preventing cancellation. Government “protects” us with price controls on what premium increases a company could charge.
So where is the danger in this? Before I answer, let me be clear. I have no love for or loyalty to health insurance companies – private or government run (i.e., Medicare). ALL of them have seriously intruded into the relationship between patients and doctors (more…)