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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Our Current health system is not sustainable

coloradoan.com

Current health system is not sustainable

August 27, 2009

I've had enough of the misinformation, misleading statements and downright lies that are coming from those who oppose health-care reform.

I think Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace, says it best when he states our current health-care system "renders the best health care to the wealthiest, depletes the savings of solidly middle-class Americans, and leaves 46 million people with no health-care coverage at all!"

The health-care hooligans are out in force, using the tactical gimmick of arguing-by-extremes, acting like schoolyard bullies at town hall meetings and spreading lies by e-mail. These guys sure know how to get the public riled up.

Their claims are so ludicrous - "death panels, health-care rationing and no choice" - they might as well be screaming, "The Earth is flat!" As far as I can tell, the opposition is all about fear and manipulation to maintain the status quo and sustain the profits of the massive insurance corporations. For those who want to separate facts from fiction, go to these White House sites: www.WhiteHouse. gov/realitycheck and www.White House.gov/health-insurance- consumer-protections.

The reality is, health-care reform is absolutely essential. The status quo is unsustainable. With health-care costs rising three times faster than wages, companies are having to pass on costs to their employees in the form of increased premiums that gobble up more and more of their paychecks. Medicare and Medicaid are running out of money. The current system is not working.

Obama's health-care reform plan seeks to do three important things:

1 Ensure that Medicare continues to exist. The bill will strengthen Medicare and reduce the cost of prescription drugs. By eliminating subsidies to insurance companies, the plan will reduce Medicare costs so Medicare doesn't run out of money and is here for years to come!

2 Regulate insurance industries. Insurance industries will no longer be able to exclude people for pre-existing conditions, drop coverage for people who get sick, cap benefits, charge for preventative and wellness care and raise premiums every year. This means people with private health insurance or insurance through their employers will get quality health care at a better rate!

3 Provide a public option that competes with insurance companies. This affordable option will best serve those who don't choose (or can't afford) private insurance, such as the unemployed, under-employed, self-employed and small businesses. More importantly, this program will serve as a benchmark for affordable health care, offering competition to insurance companies so they're motivated to keep their rates down.

For readers out there who are fearful of rumors broadcast by the media, this plan does not eliminate choice (you can stick with your own insurance plan or doctor if you want), cover illegal immigrants, fund abortions or use a death panel. These are total fabrications.

So, why all the lies and rumors? Change for the social good has always been met with resistance. When FDR introduced the idea of Social Security, he was accused of being a socialist. And when JFK and LBJ introduced the idea of Medicare, they were accused of destroying freedom of choice. But look at the results - both ideas have helped millions!

I urge the public to listen to the health-care reform debate with an educated ear. Remember, the opponents (insurance companies) have a lot to lose if the health-care reform bill succeeds.

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