A Real National Health Care System

This is a very personal thing for me. I went onto Medicare when I turned 65. That is more than three years ago. I left my employer just before turning 65 and they provided coverage until my 65th birthday. My wife was always covered by dependent health insurance. Now that I have no health insurance she must be covered by a private plan. The cost of that plan has now reached $360.00 per month and the co-pay for each visit is $50.00. Yes, I am paying for this insurance because I do have the money but it hurts every month.

It is easy to understand why 47 million Americans have no health insurance. If an employer does not provide a health plan or does provide one that requires a high cost to the individual or family, the employee might find he/she cannot afford the cost. This is a situation that does impact lower level employees in many businesses.

The Republican candidates have been slow to present their ideas on health care. Rudy Giuliani just issued his plan today. He offered a “consumer-oriented” solution that relies on giving individuals tax credits to purchase private insurance. This is a wonderful idea if the individual has the money to pay for the plan. In my case there is too little income to claim a tax credit. Giuliani argues against universal health care by calling it socialized medicine. That is an argument that goes back to the late 1940s when the American Medical Association called universal health care a step towards communism. There does not appear to be any logical reason to argue against universal health care.

The evidence for a change in our health care system is coming from all sides. Emergency rooms are being used as primary care facilities. The cost to hospitals is causing them to sometimes close their doors. Both large and small companies are struggling with their medical insurance costs. Examples are the American auto manufacturers, southern California food chains, and public transportation companies. Why are employers responsible to provide health care?

Universal health care seems to be a Democratic Party issue. All three major candidates have supported a version of universal health care. Why are Republican candidates opposed to this idea? I would like to believe they really care about the best possible care but all evidence seems to point to protecting the current system. Do those Republican candidates see health care companies as major campaign contributors? My guess is the answer is yes.