Debate on National Health Care

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for allowing me to express my opinions.

With all due respect to those with Jeffersonian-libertarian views, this

country was founded by and made great by the system of checks and balances

created by a diverse group of individuals (Jefferson was just one of many)

who debated and argued for their individual ideals and beliefs but who were

willing and able to put aside those individual beliefs for the greater good.

Out of it was founded something important and long lasting. It took great

personal sacrifice to do what they did and great leadership.

Okay, so I may have stepped on toes citing this obvious history of our

country, but what I am getting at is that the health care crisis in this

country is going to take the same courage and leadership as well as personal

sacrifice for the greater good. So far we have lacked the conviction,

leadership and sacrifice to turn the myriad of great ideas into a system

that can begin to solve the main issue: providing health care to those that

need it but cannot access it for one or more reasons, ending the need for

people to go bankrupt to afford health care and improving the health of all.

All the points made in this debate have the utmost merit and all must be

addressed. It is important, though, to assure everyone, that none of our

presidents-to-be are advocating socialized medicine. They all know that

this is NOT what Americans want. Some form of private-public partnership is

what is most advocated. It is also important to stress what others have

said, that we are talking about funding health care versus government

completely running and controlling health care.

No solution will be perfect just like our constitution is not. What it

should be is a guide, provided with checks and balances, to begin laying a

groundwork to solve some of the problems we face. Should it involve private

insurance? Yes; Should it involve government funded care? Yes; Should it

involve employer sponsored health insurance programs? Yes; Should it

involve health savings accounts? Yes; Should it involve ways to reduce

administrative costs like electronic medical records? Yes; Should it

involve wellness programs; lifestyle change incentives and preventative

care? Yes; Should it involve finding ways to lower drug costs? Yes; Should

it involve alternative medicine? Yes; Should it look at ways to do this

without the burden of more taxes? Yes; Should it maintain the autonomy of

health care providers to continue to come up with their own solutions? Yes.

All of these can and should be molded into a system including checks and

balances like our governments to make sure that they work to solve the

problems

I remember the debates about the Welfare system were as passionate and as

frustrating because no-one could come up with a solution that pleased

everyone. Finally, there was leadership and conviction to make changes (you

can debate on whose leadership and conviction, I am staying neutral on it).

And what happened: A new welfare system was created that was imperfect,

that has continued to be tweaked and has provided solutions to the problem.

And it worked so well that the Federal Deficit was shrunk in the 1990's.

Government serves its purpose. Spend some time thinking about all the

things in life that it provides for you. Then think about how you receive

those things, through taxes fees etc. Sometimes government gets too

bloated, often it is corrupt but it cycles over time because of the checks

and balances and because it allows us to do something about it. Sometimes

government even does a better job than the private sector. It is no secret

that Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration and the Federal

Employee Health Insurance Program have the lowest administrative costs and

are more efficient insurance systems then any private sector insurance.

I apologize if this is blunt but, if you are struggling with the issue of

national health care and the uninsured, get involved and be part of the

solution. If you are worried about so many people without health insurance,

provide more free care or better yet volunteer at your local free

(government supported) clinic. If you feel hopeless about the future, now

is the time to think about another career.

And if you do continue to involve yourself in the debate, please continue,

as this debate has done, to offer solutions as well as complaints for it is

the solutions that are needed. It will take great personal sacrifice from

many as well as leadership to actually do something instead of just

continuing the debate. I hope that our president-to-be can offer that

leadership and make a decision to DO something.

The best solution will be the one that no-one will like but the one that

helps the most!

Have a great weekend everyone! Try not to think of health care if you can!

Tom Howell, P.T., M.P.T.

Howell Physical Therapy

Eagle, ID

howellpt@...