Another side to health care

Recently the paper has printed opinion articles portraying only one side of the health care reform debate.

This is not a debate about access to health care. It is a debate about access to health insurance that has been hijacked to say that everybody is entitled to it. People are not denied healthcare in this country.

Hospitals by law are required to treat you if you show up in need of medical services – with or without insurance. How many people do you know that have died because they did not have “access” to health care?

As far as the 50 million Americans “without insurance” claim, let’s get the numbers straight. The number “everybody” is quoting is 45.7 million and it comes from an official census figure from 2007.

However you chose to cut the numbers, there are not 50 million Americans walking around without insurance.

Health insurance is not a right to all Americans. How many of these people “without” health care have cell phones and cable TV? Like car and homeowner’s insurance, it is a luxury to those that can afford it. If somebody cannot afford their car insurance, should the government take from one person and give to another so they covered in case they get in a wreck?

Only those who believe in the philosophy of “from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs” does this make sense. It is not our moral responsibility to pay for the healthcare and treatment of others.

The town halls and overall public outcry have proved this that many Americans feel this way. We watched Congress spend away our tax dollars with the stimulus package and what have we gained? Unemployment at a 26 year high with the actual rate of 16.8%.

The 1,000 page bill in front of Congress right now will increase the size government, its spending and its involvement in our everyday lives. There is a section of this bill that allows for the IRS to analyze your personal tax and financial information to determine what health care plan is acceptable for you.

Personally, I don’t think my health insurance plan is any of the government’s business.

Creating a public option is not the solution to the health care problem and it certainly wouldn’t allow you the option of keeping your private insurance plan. How can it?

A government insurance program is the only one that can continually function in a deficit. It doesn’t have to make a profit in order to “stay in business.” A private insurance company can’t compete with that. They’re in the business of making m0ney, not distributing it among the masses.

Some ideologues have countered “Why do you think it will run a deficit?” I only have experience to go by: Social Security, Medicare, and the Post Office are all bankrupt. The Post Office has a monopoly and it still cannot make a profit; it lost $7 billion last year. It was receiving complaints about slow service and long waits in line.

The government’s solution? Take away the clocks! Yeah, I want a government worker handling my health care.

Mallory Hanville
Junior, Johns Creek
Child and Family Development