Americanpolitics

The smoke screen being tossed up by Republicans to create a haze around the health care reform legislation directed at “we the people” as constituents, has clouded the view of “Blue Dog Democrats” as well.

However on Monday, a positive assessment came from Congress’ nonpartisan budget analyst, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) with a statement issued that underscored what Obama has been saying all along “the plan for government-run coverage would not force out private insurers but would simply create ‘competition,’ which private insurers could survive.”

Although Republicans have been using a report issued by the Lewin Group, a research firm owned by an insurance company, to drive their point home that the millions of people now covered by employer-sponsored insurance would go to the government coverage forcing a change in coverage for those who are presently satisfied with their coverage, the CBO’s report seems to stringently contradict the Lewin Group. It just seems like a conflict of interest to use the voice of “insurance companies,” who have the most to lose to back a voice against health care reform.

Yesterday, the housing industry was up by 11 per cent on sales of new homes; recently the Stock Market was up, an indication that the economy may be on an upswing towards improvement. Whether due to the “stimulus bill” or the “tarp” that was passed or not, indications are that we are moving in the right direction with or without the support of Republicans who seem hell bent on their desires to effect a “waterloo” for Obama by the dissention they are attempting to create by consistently taking a stand against any measures Obama tries to institute.

Regarding payment of the health care reform, Obama has constantly stated that a large portion of the money to pay for this legislation would come from re-evaluating the waste in current government coverage such as Medicare/Medicaid with the possibility of a slight increase of taxes paid by those making a certain amount of money, it appears that these words are not being heard by those who continue to have “concerns” that small businesses are going to be hit hard or that taxes will be raised too high.

According to Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, (issued in a written statement to Yahoo News) small businesses aren’t faring too well right now with a determined choice to either stay in business or provide health care for their workers in today’s global economy.

Sebelius contends that “health care spending today consumes 30 percent more of state and local budgets than it did 20 years ago, forcing governments to choose between cutting services and raising taxes.”

It would seem, from this comment that raising taxes is inevitable either way – with or without the passing of this legislation so the question you should be asking is, in the long run do you want to raises taxes for a program that is not working; for with the current health care costs raising at an alarming rate it represents the single largest contributor to exploding long-term deficits, or raise taxes for a program that, over the long haul, has potential to help the economy?

Through all the rhetoric and confusion the consensus among all seems to be that America can not afford to wait any longer for health care reform. That being said, the question becomes, why are these “political games” being played? Why are these obvious games being played at the cost of not only the economy but at the expense of the American public?

According to Sebelius, there are four main factors to any “good” health care reform and they are as follows:

1. To provide Americans with more affordable choices accomplished by setting up “marketplaces where people can shop and compare prices on plans, choosing one that is right for their individual needs.

2. The use of incentives for doctors and hospitals used to reward based on quality of care not on the quantity of tests or procedures prescribed.

3. A move from treatment to prevention and wellness with an emphasis on healthy lifestyles and finally,

4. An aim at not adding to our current deficit which can be achieved by the savings that will be achieved by identification of hundreds and billions of dollars being currently spent on health care that falls into the category of funding waste and overpayments to insurance companies.”

The legislation currently on the table is directed at just these concerns, supposedly, so what is the problem and why is all this dialogue necessary except to delay what everyone seems to agree on, that reform is imperative to shrink the growing deficit.

And that’s the way I see it!!!

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