Ask Congress to make them justify cost and charges. Just ask them to show justification, the same as they did on public TV with the oil industry when gasoline went to over $4.00 a gallon several years ago. The execs had to appear before Congress and explain the prices of gasoline. It was done through a live feed for all to see. I watched it and could tell they didn't have answers, they just did a lot of double talk and danced around the questions being asked. The exec that spoke for Exxon said that she had an obligation to the stock holders to make as much money for them as she could. She basically told them to take and like it, there's was nothing they could do about it. Exxon is very lucky that they are one of the main suppliers, or people listening to her words would have done anything to buy non-Exxon related products.
Well, that's just pathetic.
How so? Care to explain? What would you do? Have a better idea?
Because it would be completely ineffectual.
If had my druthers, I'd deregulate the whole mess. Recognizing that as not currently politically viable, at the federal level, I'd do as little as possible. Maybe tax insurance benefits as income and use the commerce clause to overrule state interference with free trade related to health care and insurance sales.
Well, that's just pathetic
LOL.... fair enough.
But my view is that the best thing government can do to help is to remove the impediments they've injected into the health care market via ill-considered regulation. And if states want to provide health care for their citizens, it should be done in the way we've handled public education. This keeps things localized and less of a centralized target for manipulation.
That said, I'm not one to say that the entire problem is one of over-regulation. A large part of the solution is for health care consumers to wise up, and recognize that insurance isn't a way to get out of paying for health care, that it actually makes health care cost a lot more in the long run. We need to come to the understanding that the we're better off with the
least amount of insurance we can get by on.
What's sad is that this realization was beginning to gain traction, especially with the younger generations. I'm convinced that's why the health insurance industry joined forces with Congress to push for the mandate.
Yes, Congress is well connect to and paid by the health care industry. Many Lobbyists funnel untold $millions into the hands of members of Congress. Yes, votes are bought on the floors of Congress. Yes, Congress is on the take from many industries. Yes, Congress is corrupt and for sale. But, In my opinion, those in the health care profession, those that actually provide the medical treatments and services, are pushing prices to astronomical heights via price gouging. No one forces doctors to charge $300.00 for a 5 minute office visit that consist of nothing more than conversation. No one forces hospitals to charge $1,800.00 and upwards per day for a tiny filthy room. No one forces hospitals to charge $5.00 per aspirin when a bottle of 100 cost less than $2.00 at any drug store in America.
Those in the health care industry know that we need their services. They know that we can not operate on ourselves. They know that we can't buy our own MRI machine and use it when needed. They know that we can't do our own blood work and analysis. We are at their mercy. And, knowing how much we need them and depend on them, they take full advantage of the situation. Pharmaceuticals are making an astronomical profit off prescription medication. My main point is that price gouging by those in the health care industry is pricing citizens out of the market and causing many to file bankruptcy to keep from losing their homes and life savings. And, this is happening to those with health care insurance also. People are being milked dry by those that charge outrageous and insane fees for such simple things as office visits and lab tests. Those in the health care industry should be shamed on national TV every single day. Newspapers should run full page stories listing names of doctors and hospitals that engage in price gouging. The internet should be flooded with names and facilities that legally rob the public.
The president and members of Congress should call them before a panel, ask them to explain their justification for charging $5.00 for an aspirin, and allow the public to hear their answer. We should shame them into realizing the economic damage their doing to this nation and her citizens. Some spend more on health care than on a mortgage. I spend more each month on premiums than I do on my truck payment ( Ford F-150 ). In addition, I have co-pays, deductibles, and some prescription cost. And, that's with Cigna as my major medical, and Medicare as secondary coverage. And many people are not financially able to have the coverage that I am blessed with. Many have deductibles that range well above $5,000 and $6,000, plus additional co-pays that must be met. Some elderly are paying hundreds of dollars for blood pressure pills each month, in addition to what Medicare and Medicaid pays.
The bottom line is we can't continue to labor at a job just to stay healthy. If prices continue to rise at the present rate, a lot of working folks will be working just to pay premiums, deductibles, and co-pays for themselves and their family. At some point, the health care industry is going to price the average citizen completely out of the market. I do not have a crystal ball, but the present trend leads to financial ruin for many Americans.
