Today is Thanksgiving. We in the USA have many reasons to thank God. We live in a country with such bountiful beauty, such an abundance of natural resources, such heritage from our ancestors, and such security.
This last year showed such an incredible assault on our heritage and our security by our government that millions of normal Americans turned to the streets in tea party groups and other acts of defiance.
One of those assaults was the healthcare "insurance" legislation passed by a government that was out of touch with the mainstream people of the USA. During the elections of 2008, those same politicians said that they would pass legislation that would help the 36 million people who could not afford "healthcare" and pass legislation that would help reduce the costs of "healthcare" for all Americans. In reality, those 36 million people already had access to free healthcare if their income was below $80,000 per year and this legislation has increased costs for less healthcare for the average American.
What did we get? This government gave us "insurance" legislation instead of “healthcare” legislation. This legislation unconstitutionally mandates that all Americans must purchase health "insurance." Those who have low incomes will be given help at making such purchase, but all Americans must purchase “insurance”
Those things that would reduce the costs of healthcare were left out of this legislation and no additional people receive "healthcare" because of it. So who benefits from this legislation? Healthcare institutions and insurance companies.
Healthcare institutions benefit because they receive payments from insurance companies for those who normally would be treated for free under federal government programs. That increases the revenue for healthcare providers.
Insurance companies benefit because this legislation does not break up state legislated monopolies and it provides more mandated customers to those insurance companies. It gives insurance companies the ability to charge higher rates and/or provide lower benefits. The profits for insurance companies will soar for quite some time because of this legislation.
Some people claim that this legislation provides some benefits to us normal Americans. Our kids can be carried on our insurance until they are 26 (this just helps our children remain irresponsible a lot longer .. and irresponsibility of younger people is already a big problem in the USA). Insurance companies cannot eliminate anyone for pre conditions, but this comes with a price.
The Kiplinger Letter of November 19, 2010 states that insurance premiums have increased 27% over the last 5 years (about 5% compounded per year). Because of this "insurance" legislation, insurance premiums paid by employees will increase 14% this year. The Kiplinger letter goes on to say that many companies are:
1. only offering health savings accounts. They are dropping their comprehensive insurance coverage and replacing it with only catastrophic insurance with health savings accounts for employees.
2. helping lower paid employees with payments and then charging more to those who make more.
3. "Dropping copays to 10% for those who go to first tier doctors and hospitals and raising them to 40% – 50% for patients who go out of network."
4. "Setting premiums based on how many individuals are covered so big families with more children pay higher premiums." (Doesn’t that kinda negate insuring children until they are 26?)
5. "Dropping coverage for spouses or covering them at a lower percentage."
6. Increasing premiums for unhealthy behavior.
7. "Eliminating dental and vision coverage."
8. "Increasing copays for specialists."
9. "And ending retiree healthcare coverage."
All of this is allowed under this new healthcare "insurance" legislation. Unions, government employees and other select groups are even exempt from it.
So let me ask these questions again: How does this legislation provide any additional healthcare to those 36 million people who did not have healthcare insurance? How does this legislation decrease the costs of healthcare for us Americans for the same amount of healthcare coverage?
The only ones who benefit from this unconstitutional legislation are healthcare providers and insurance companies. Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Schumer, and Dodd made good on all that money that they received from insurance companies and healthcare providers for their campaigns.
While we Americans have much to thank God, this current government and this “insurance” legislation are not part of it.
Michael Master is the author of “Save America Now!” It can be ordered at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616235756
