In light of the perceived promotion for immediate healthcare reform, let me humbly (but hopefully creatively) offer my very unscientific list of current concerns:
(1) The need for legislation passage suddenly seems more important than what is actually in the legislation.
(2) As noted in previous Intramuralist accounts, our representatives have long been lax in reading the legislation written; a bill of this magnitude should never be voted upon without the actual, individual reading of the bill.
(3) Canada. Their socialized system seems to highlight several of the shortcomings of a government designed program.
(4) Any reform that is massive yet designed to be efficient and effective needs to be clearly communicated with the public it serves. With the current campaign designed to support reform passage prior to the congressional August recess, clear communication with the public in regard to the contents of the legislation seems a secondary priority. Give us time to agree or disagree. Give us time to fully comprehend the suggested reform.
(5) President Obama has long stated that healthcare reform must succeed in reducing the cost of medical care over the long run. Last Thursday, the head of Obama’s Congressional Budget Office testified that the legislation he had seen so far did not fulfill that goal. Hence, until the administration can agree on such, should we not invest the appropriate time it takes - even if that is after August?
(6) Making healthcare available to all is necessary. It also needs to be more portable and innovative in order to serve our country’s diversified needs well. Current proposals seem ambiguous in how innovation within care would be affected.
(7) Is the new way to pay for government spending to simply tax the wealthiest Americans? And thus, am I alone in wondering if taxing the rich becomes the primary payment method, will the rich soon learn how to save, spend, or hide their money differently? (psst... if any of them wish to pay my mortgage...)
(8) One trillion plus dollars. Need we say more? How can we spend what we do not have?
(9) Doing things right is more important than doing things fast.
(10) And perhaps the concern that intrigues me most... what will the name of a government-run healthcare system be? Hillarycare? Robin Hood Care? or McHealth? (... maybe they, too, will utilize the dollar menu... I heard it’s cheaper that way...)
AR
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3 comments:
Ann, I have decided that you should be President. You have more common sense than most of the people put together in DC. :)
You have asked all the right questions. Now, do we have politicians wise enough to understand the answers? Or will they, without again having read the entire document, vote for passage based on advice of consultants who are persuaded by various groups with vested interests? I'm concerned.
I saw in the paper this morning where the right to life people feel there are provisions for abortions in Obama's Health Plan. It is not so stated but they feel buried in the tons of words there is easily such an interpretation.
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