Boston Globe Celebrates Prospect of Universal Health Care

by James Gelfand

An editorial today in the Boston Globe gushed over the possibilities presented by a new reform proposal developed by Americas Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the trade association that represents private health insurance plans. It isn't that the Globe supports that particular plan, but rather, they are ecstatic that AHIP, who prevented enactment of Hillarycare in 1993 with their famous "Harry and Louise" advertising campaign, seem to be willing to make "concessions."

First of all, we would do well to remember that Harry and Louise are already back – except this time, their message seems to be "pass something, anything!"

Second, let's look at AHIP's concession: They are willing to stop denying coverage to the sick – that's big. What do they want in exchange? They politely request that the government force every man, woman, and child in America to purchase their products. Nice deal!

Much of the push for "universal health care" comes in the wake of the landmark Massachusetts health reform plan. But proponents are quick to ignore the many problems that plan is seeing – prices are skyrocketing, most of the newly-covered have free or subsidized plans, and many people who are now covered by insurance are unable to find doctors.

Before we make this Faustian bargain to increase coverage, and try to imitate a plan that was created in very unique circumstances, let's focus on lowering the costs of health care, and improving the quality. More than ten million people are already eligible for free coverage; they just haven't filled out the forms. And allowing small businesses to band together and purchase health care would save the government money. These sound like no-brainer solutions to me.

Comments

[Henry E Scott]

I've read with interest your postings about the incoming Obama administration's plans to create a public health insurance plan to compete with private plans. You make interesting points in your opposition to it. But I'm wondering what you would suggest someone like me should do.

I am 57 years old, successfully self-employed, a resident of New York City, and have an incurable health condition that is kept in remission with drugs that would cost me at least $18,000 a year on the open market and regular doctor visits that would cost another $2,000 to $3,000. Because I live in New York, which bars insurers from so-called "medical underwriting" if they offer private insurance policies, I am able to purchase health insurance for about $450 a month, and I pay another $200 to $225 a month (the figure is constantly rising) in co-pays. Other than this condition, I am incredibly healthy and active.

I recently decided to move myself, and my business, to Florida. But I discovered, after applying for health insurance and talking to state officials who regulate the insurance industry, that I am ineligible for health insurance in Florida. That's right. I cannot buy health insurance in Florida, at any price, because the state permits insurers to refuse customers with chronic conditions such as mine.

If I were to move to Florida (and I have decided not to), I would have three choices. One is to stop working so that my income would fall to under $26,000, at which point various programs for poor people would help pay for my medical care. I thus would move from being a productive member of society, a taxpayer, to become a drain on society's resources. Anther option is to pay my medical bills myself, which means I would spend a large proportion of my income on medicine and medical care, a percentage that undoubtedly would grow significantly over time. I also would have to hope that I never suffer a catastrophic injury that would require hospitalization, which I could not afford. The final option is to stop all treatment for my chronic condition, which, my doctors tell me, means I could die within a year or so. My options, if I were to move to Florida, could be summed up as poverty or death.

My only solution is to remain in New York State, or one of the several other Northeastern states that have similar restrictions on medical underwriting. And that, of course, is what I will do. But what would become of me if I had been running my business in Florida when the incurable health condition emerged? Should this country have a health care system that leaves chronically ill residents of any state with no options but poverty or death?

If I am missing something, I hope you'll let me know.