I actually sat down and read over the infamous Obama Health care plan recently, though I have to admit that I skimmed over much of it. I could and might go back and read some more of it. I felt that as a former health care worker, it was something that I had to do to see what our President or whomever it really was who wrote this thing is really proposing. I knew I would not like it, but I wanted to see what was actually written. The amazing thing is that anyone who can read can go and read the entire Act. Anyone who votes should. I will include a link to the bill at the end of this entry.
The first thing that jumped out at me when I started reading were the words “Health Choices Commissioner,” “Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund” and then all the words about the Commissioner working with the Health Secretary and the Treasury Secretary. I realized that this whole makeover of our health care system was going to be gigantic. This thing is going to cost an awful lot just to set up the management structure. The next thing I realized was that it would require all health care professionals, hospitals, and businesses to obey a whole new set of rules regarding the giving of health care. The one thing everyone must know is that it will not be free for anyone. Someone will have to pay for every single health care service. For the average person or family, you will have to pay according to your ability. For those who are poor or indigent, they will be required to pay much less. There is a scale based on income that will be used to determine what you must pay. And when you fill out all of the paperwork to enroll in the government system, you will be subject to government investigations into your IRS taxes to make sure that you actually make the amount you claim on your forms. The rich can plan on paying more than their fair share, and if you try to convince the government that you are poorer than you are, again, they can and will audit your tax information. As for businesses, if you look at Sec.314, you will find that they will be subject to “periodic investigations and audits” to make sure that they are obeying all the new government rules for paying into the government’s “Health Choices Plan.” There will also be a tax on employers who fail to comply with the government’s regulations exactly. In short, the American people are giving up a whole lot of privacy for some Government “services.” If you ever shuddered at the Homeland Security Department’s wire tapping of terrorist conversations, (which I had no problem with), then you should be terrified at the thought of them probing into your financial and tax records whenever they wish, under the guise of “just making sure you are telling the truth.”
Now, once you realize that you will indeed still be paying for your services as well as having your taxes increased to pay for them, you also must know that when you sign up for your health care, there will be provisions you will be subject to regardless of whether you want to use them or not. I am all for prevention in the sense of staying in good health and preventing illness. That is really the key to not needing to use the health care system. If you are healthy, you don’t need health care, unless of course, you have an accident or some kind of traumatic injury. Making catastrophic health care affordable is a different issue that could be addressed without a total overhaul of the current health care system. But on the subject of “Prevention,” if you go to Sec. 1711, you will see the different “preventative” measures which includes vaccines. Vaccinations are a touchy issue with many people, and there are many questions and concerns regarding the current vaccine list that is routinely administered to young children all the way up through adulthood. In our family, we have both used vaccines and opted out of some, and I have always appreciated the freedom we have to decide as parents what is best for our family. What concerns me about this impending Act is that if the Government is your health care provider, what is to keep it from enforcing what it thinks is best for your child? Physicians can already pressure patients into taking medicine or using a particular treatment, and if the Government decides that you are putting the nation at risk by not doing vaccines or by declining to use a particular medicine, then what is to stop it from enforcing it? Socialism is all about putting the interest of the State over the liberties of the individual. This is contrary to our Constitution. On page 776, there is information about the coverage of “family planning services and supplies.” I made a note of this to go back and look at this more thoroughly. Family planning covers everything from birth control to pregnancy and childbirth to sterilization and abortion. Here is another area that should be a red flag to those interested in preserving the family’s authority and liberty as opposed to the Government or State-controlled authority. If a law-abiding family has 5 or 6 children, the Government -controlled health care system could regulate at any given time the number of children per family they will “take care of” and put into effect how many children each family can have. Also, if abortion is merely a family-planning tool, is it not likely to be used even more liberally than it is now? What is to keep the Government from thinking that the less citizens they have to care for, the better? They wouldn’t worry that they have less tax-paying citizens to increase revenue for the State, they would simply make the rich pay more. In due time, we would have a citizenry that is made in the image desired by the Government, obedient to its every whim, and kept within a prescribed cage of activity, income and ability.
I noted also the section that refers to “simplifying and modifying Medicaid and Medicare.” Two things occurred to me about this. The first is that if the Government wants to simplify or modify these two entities, they can do that without a Government take-over of the health care system. The second thing is that perhaps by modifying Medicare, this will make it easier for the Government to cull the ever-expanding pool of elderly citizens. What is to keep the Government from deciding that all terminal patients, for example, will only be offered limited health care services (since they are going to die anyway?)
I cannot think of any country that has socialized medicine and has a better health-care system than the United States does. It is true that we have a less healthy citizenry than other countries (based on statistics I have read but don’t have before me), but that really speaks more to the way we as a people eat and the habits we have. Reform of the medical malpractice industry would certainly help lower costs without completely gutting the current system. Our lawmakers in Congress have before them a crucial decision to make. They had better listen to the people of this nation and listen to their constituents. I have not seen anything that indicates this is a health care Act that people really want. I urge everyone to look over this “Health Choices Act.” If you disagree with what I have written, I would really like to know. Please, everyone check this out:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3200ih.txt.pdf
Christine, I was wondering what your stance was on all this “swine flu” hysteria going on? I do not trust the media’s wisdom on anything of course, and I get mixed opinions from doctors and acquaintances about the hazards associated with the “swine flu” vaccine.
For the past few years, most of my family and I get yearly vaccines for the “normal flu” and now I’m hearing this could either help prevent or even make worse one’s bout with the specific swine strain should they get it.
Would love your thoughts!
Thank you, Jennifer, for your comment and question. I grew up in a household where my mother always got us children flu shots. I could never really tell if it protected us or not, as usually it would be the stomach virus or some combination of flu and stomach thing and not just a respiratory ailment that we would come down with. There are really two things that I consider about any flu epidemic. The first is the general source of the flu (such as “bird flue” or “swine flu.” In the case of the recent swine flu outbreak in Mexico, my understanding is that the virus showed up in people who actually had no contact with swine (as in they did not work on a pig farm, or handle pig carcasses, etc.) Whether or not that is valid, I am not certain. The other thing I consider is how effective the flu vaccine seems to be. I did some studying of flu vaccines a while back and found one study that indicated that the flu vaccine was not particularly consistently effective. One problem is that flu viruses tend to mutate from person to person and one vaccine might not be effective at all against a mutated bug. Also, according to the information I studied was that the most active ingredient in the vaccine was the mercury, which is put in as a preservative. Mercury is highly toxic and builds up in human tissues easily with repeated exposure, and can cause a variety of illnesses and symptoms. A better alternative to taking the vaccine would be to work at building up one’s immune system through nutritious foods, quality supplements, plenty of rest and exercise and seeking the Lord’s healing and protection. He promises to give us wisdom, if we ask of Him (James 1:5). it is wise to practice good hand-washing whenever in contact with people who have had the flu. My sources for good and reliable supplements are http://www.vitacost.com (Organic Life Vitamins – a liquid multi-vitamin that is good for adults and children) and http://www.drrons.com – a company which has supplements made to a naturopath doctor’s specifications, and we have used these supplements for years. I would also recommend taking a high quality cod liver oil, such as Carlson’s Lemon cod liver oil (available at vitacost.com) or any of Dr. Ron’s formulas available at his website. If a person can keep his or her immune system strong and continually seeks the Lord’s face in everything, I do not think we need to be afraid. God is both able to heal and protect His people, and He has designed our bodies to respond to good stewardship and His healing hand.
Blessings to you!
Christine
When President Obama said that “the time for bickering is over”, I interpreted that to mean that he didn’t want any more debate on the issue. Your article points out several key issues related to one of the healthcare bills that need debate. President Obama also claimed to not be willing to sign a healthcare bill that will “add one dime to our deficits.” This needs debate in detail! I assume that by this he means that he wants to raise income taxes, and levy fees on private healthcare plans.
Christine,
I respect your opinions on the health care debate that this country is undergoing right now. I do have issue with some of the things you say though. I am a health care professional as well and if you have been in this field you know that it is being run by the pharmaceutical companies not the hospitals or doctors. Something has to be done. My father was in the Army so I grew up in a “socialized” medical environment – which the military medical facilities are. I have to say that there was never a time I left the hospital with some highly priced new drug that the doctor was paid to push as the “latest thing” so he could get a kick back from Phizer. Where does it say in the bill that you will not be able to deny vaccines? You state that “There is a scale based on income that will be used to determine what you must pay. And when you fill out all of the paperwork to enroll in the government system, you will be subject to government investigations into your IRS taxes to make sure that you actually make the amount you claim on your forms.” I have news for you, you submit your tax forms to the government every year – when they look at it they are auditing it. Do you honestly think the government has the manpower or the time to audit every persons taxes to verify they are telling the truth…here is an idea – why don’t we all just tell the truth anyway? Then we wouldn’t have to worry about audits or penalties for lying to get away with something. As a health care professional you must know that the average law abiding citizen who pays their taxes now is paying for the poor and illegal immigrants in this country to receive health care. How many people walk in off the street without health care that the hospitals are not allowed to turn away?
The US is 34th in infant mortality—with a level comparable to Croatia, Estonia, Poland and Cuba! To what is this attributable to? I agree that preventative medicine is the key – but who can afford it. My sister is self employed. She had to pay almost $12000 into a fund over a year before she was allowed to go to the hospital for the first check up! Is this right for the richest country in the world? In overall life expectancy, the United States ranks an astonishing 42nd, behind not only Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and all the countries of Western Europe, but also Israel, Greece, Singapore, Costa Rica and South Korea. The US spends twice as much money per capita on health care as any of these countries, but its citizens live shorter lives. Having lived in Germany and traveled extensively in Europe and Asia including Australia, they don’t live any differently than we do. McDonald’s is popular everywhere and so is TV.
Most industrialized countries, and many developing countries, operate some form of publicly-funded health care with universal coverage as the goal. According to the Institute of Medicine and others, the United States is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not provide universal health care. And if you don’t think it works look at the list above – Canada, Australia, et al, each one has a “socailized” medical establishment. Are they all wrong and we are the only ones right – again?
You state that “Socialism is all about putting the interest of the State over the liberties of the individual. This is contrary to our Constitution.”. Nobody is saying that we are going to become a socialist state (which in this country means communist). We are talking about socializing medicine which just means that the state ,i.e. the government, funds the health care system. No where in the Constitution does it state that the people will form a better union by paying for health care themselves out of their own pocket and only the people who can afford it are entitled to it.
When Medicare and Medicade were first proposed it was called a socialized form of medicine…how many millions of people have been helped by these two programs (I know it is not perfect but it works better than public health care). Nobody is saying now that we should get rid of it, but isn’t the proposed health plan just a way of providing Medicare for everyone?
I came to your site interested in American Saddlebred Horses not medical plans but I must say I do enjoy your site and am looking forward to reading the rest of your blog.
Rick,
Thanks for your comments. Years ago I used to ride and show American Saddlebreds and it is interesting that somehow that website has our little farm’s web address for some strange reason. Guess it is another farm they are trying to list, but with the wrong address.
Anyway, in response I would like to mention a few things. First, I do know that the pharmaceutical companies are a big part and problem with the high cost of health care. What to do about this is the debatable question. Many medications have good and necessary uses, but then many have terrible side-effects and are best used for the shortest amount of time, if deemed necessary. While many are unfortunately dependent on prescription medicines, what we should all be working towards is a state of health not dependent upon drugs. This may seem to pie-in-the sky to some, but I know it is possible many times by changing one’s diet, exercising, and using super foods and high quality supplements. While you can spend a fortune on high quality supplements, you can also get the same effect with a few choice super foods and eliminating a lot of junk and processed food from one’s diet. This takes determination and discipline and can be done without a lot of money. But I have done this and know others who have as well and gotten great results.
That the US is 34th in infant mortality is indeed pathetic. I believe the primary reason for this is the poor condition of the mother – not being well nourished herself. Anyone in the horse business for example, knows that the better the condition of the mare (and stallion too), the better likelihood for a live, healthy foal. But there are people who treat their animals more conscientously than they do their own bodies. If you want to know how to raise healthy babies, start by reading Westin A. Price’s work called “Nutrition And Physical Degeneration.” I am not writing this lightly because I am due to give birth any day now to our 9th child at the age of 46. I still rely on the LORD GOD to deliver and help me give birth to a healthy baby, but I have done all I could to eat right and well, and to take extra steps to ensure the baby and myself are well nourished. We managed to get through the H1N1 flu without anything but a little Tylenol and some herbal mixtures and cod liver oil and lots of good fluids – and the grace and mercy of God.
Right now I don’t see how this country can afford to revamp the health care system in the expensive way it is currently detailed. If you want to deal with pharmaceutical companies we can find a better way to do that – surely Congress could. If we want to decrease the cost of insurance, open up the state borders so that insurance companies can be more competitive and encourage them to lower their premiums. Allow naturopaths and nurse practitioners to be covered under insurance as well. Encourage doctors to volunteer service to low-income people, perhaps as a tax incentive. And of course, trying to encourage healthier eating and habits helps everyone.
The final thing I would note is one that some would think harsh and controversial. But biblically, one would have to say that as a country, the United States has been extremely blessed in so many ways. But en masse, her inhabitants have turned their backs on GOD. They have said, for almost 50 years now, that He does not have a place in government, in the schools, and even in people’s worldviews. Since I believe that He is the giver of all life and blessings, and if you go back to the Bible and read through it and give it a chance to teach wisdom to whomever takes the time to read it, then repenting of unbelief and rebelliousness is a big step to getting out from under the curses we have brought on ourselves by turning away from Him as a Nation. There is no reason why we should be so sick as a Nation when we have it otherwise so good. But our arrogance and atheism has gotten the best of us as a Nation. We think we can figure everything out without His help.
Finally, I have lived in both Germany and Central Asia. I would still rather receive health care in the U.S. Yes, there are some things we could learn from the Europeans, but why not just incorporate those things, and stick to the set-up we already have. There is room for improvement for sure, but entrusting Congress and President Obama at this time in history when they are already bankrupting the country with a massive overhaul is to me just not wise or even feasible.