Universal health care.
The mere mention of it sends its advocates scurrying to change the subject or hide behind sound bites. There are so many lies circulating with regard to health care that only a trusted and credible institution can dispel them. Unfortunately, we must make due with CNN.
When CNNMoney.com took a close reading of the more than 2,000 pages in the House and Health Committee bills, it found five important factors that "contradict the president/s assurances." These contradictions, of course, are different from the president having lied (repeatedly) to the American people about the bill because lying would have required that he had known what was in it to begin with.
Under these bills, CNN states that you lose the ability to customize your health plan, choosing from a pre-approved (and noncompetitive) group of plans stuffed full of useless fees for lobbied provisions. Best part? You won/t even know what your state requires until this bill becomes law.
Under the promise of no longer charging more for those with chronic health conditions, those who live healthy lifestyles would see drastic increases in their fees. As CNN put it, "It/s as if car insurers had to charge the same rates to safe drivers as to chronic speeders with a history of accidents."
The government would virtually eliminate health spending accounts by requiring low-deductible plans. Because HSA users represent the only modicum of efficiency in health care, we/d be destroying any sort of incentive to not casually consume health care resources.
President Obama stated on July 16 (and numerous times before and since) that "… you can keep your doctor, you can keep your plan. Nobody is talking about taking that away from you."
Well, that/s true, but only for five years and only if you/re covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. After this "grace period," the government forces you into a "qualified plan." If you have the bad luck to not work for a Fortune 500-sized megacompany, you lose your health care even sooner. The second your plan changes in any way - we/re talking co-pays, premiums, coverage range, adjusted rates, deductibles… anything at all - you go onto a "qualified plan."
You can/t keep your doctor, either.
Under the Senate version, they devised "medical homes" where your new assigned doctor controls all access to specialists and testing. They decide when you "really" need a CT scan or an operation. Their job is to promote cost-efficiency.
During his health care broadcast, Obama accused doctors of backing expensive treatment to make money. Now, we/ll have government denying expensive treatment to save money! "Why use an expensive test for cancer when there/s a 60 percent chance the patient doesn/t have it? …Best to just wait and see!"
Many people support this bill. They wave their little signs, shouting "health care is a right!" But they are confused. A "right" is different from an entitlement. Rights are what even the government cannot take from you… and if this bill passes, the government can and will take your health.
Ben Camenker is a UF graduate.
