Healthcare insurance ideas that make sense

Here's another opinion piece about a healthcare plan that makes sense. It's unfortunate that the congresscritters currently working on numerous plans haven't figured out that less is better. They're trying to kill a gnat on a glass dish with a sledge hammer without breaking the dish. All we need is to cover the most catastrophic cases of healthcare needs and then let people shop for their own, everyday needs. Then we won't have to worry so much about rationing, death panels, or anything else since the most catastrophic cases will be covered and the marketplace would take care of everything else.

Oddly enough this article came from the New York Times. I hope it becomes a more widespread idea with broader coverage.

The real problems with the healthcare industry

Now here's an article that makes sense about the healthcare problems facing our country. It is written by a self-identified Democrat who has spent some significant time studying the problems with the industry. However it's a long article so I don't know who will have time to read it.

Some high points are:

• It doesnt make sense that people expect the insurance company (or government) to pay for routine care.
• Insurance makes the most sense for unexpected, big emergencies.
• There isn't a lot of real competition in the healthcare industry except for elective care items like LASIK eye surgery and cosmetic procedures.
• The lack of competition is largely driven by the fact that most services are not paid by the consumer of the service, the patient.
  
• At the end he suggests using a government option but only for emergencies over a very high threshold like $50,000 and using health-savings accounts for all other services.
• It would take a transition period to get to this point but it would be better in the end.

I've been thinking some of these very thoughts for a long time but never saw it written down so eloquently before.

They don't get it do they

Arkansas protesters shout down their blue dog congressmen

Well dressed protesters want to "hurt the president"

Carrying swastikas

The Natives Are Getting Restless!

Wow. It seems our nation's congress critters are up against some tough questions out there in the heartland.

Lloyd Doggett D-Texas 25th district (near Austin)

Arlen Specter D-Turncoat senator from Pennsylvania (do it fast?)

Tim Bishop D-New York 1st district (east end of Long Island)

Mythology of the Health Care Crisis

Apparently there are a few things we know that ain't so. Here are a few of them:

• Healthcare costs are soaring
• Canadian drugs are cheaper
• Socialized medicine works in some places
• Public insurance can co-exist with private insurance
• We can have health care without rationing
• Health care is a right