Reply #24: Thank you, TFC. I'm not sure I completely agree. [View All]

[donkeyotay]

Look at the Medicare Bill and its multi-billion dollar subsidy to drug companies. Will health care reform have a similar result? Will the only thing accomplished be that taxpayers fund a new subsidy to buy insurance for those who can't afford it? Where would the savings be?

The way insurance and health care operate right now, they are an industry more lucrative than illegal drugs. The amounts of money are huge, and the game is rigged. Are you aware of the GPOs, well now the GPO, or Group Purchasing Organization, that is a monopoly on hospital purchasing? This costs us a lot of money, and that cost isn't controlled my mandating insurance. I'm concerned that the Republicans who supposedly believe in supply and demand, will only deliver us on the demand side as captive consumers, and do nothing to control the costs to us.

You mentioned auto insurance. There are plenty of people who don't carry auto insurance, and plenty of people who somehow manage to pay high premiums, and all policies carry costs for the uninsured. Mandatory insurance doesn't keep people from getting into accidents, no more than
mandatory health insurance will keep people from being bankrupted by medical costs.

The profits of the insurance companies and the GPO and such are part of where the high cost. The current political system - the same one that had no problem telling ordinary people whose jobs went to China to "compete" -now thinks that insurance's profits need protection.

I saw Warren Buffett on CNBC explaining that he financially backs both Clinton and Obama because neither one would "kill the Golden Goose". Mr. Buffett went on to recommend to investors that they not invest in American companies with a large labor component because... well, you know, we're not "competitive" enough yet. Well, there are going to be quite a few Americans who are going to need checks from the government for their health care if things like having heated houses, cars and health care are impediments to our competing with the Chinese. Maybe Mr. Buffett is having his cake and eating ours too. He wants us as policy holders but knows we're going to be too broke to afford it on our own.

Anyway, you have given an organized look at an important issue, and I appreciate it.