O
otherwhitemeat
Does this apply to someone who became disabled, lost everything they own, can never work again and is denied medical coverage because of a pre-existing and chronic disability?
Or did you have others in mind when you claim people are simply lazy and want something for nothing ?
Of course not, I am a pragmatist not a monster. Pre-existing condition needs to change, but do you think the lobbyists will permit that to happen? I am being cynical here, because we all need to be.
That that doesn't stop me from believing that a large portion of the uninsured are uninsured by choice. They have nice cars, but no car insurance; they have flat panel tv's but can't pay their electric bill, and they want to walk into a clinic with 3-4 kids and walk out without a bill.
The situation you describe should be covered by Medicare/Medicaid today, but this too is teetering. The Baby Boom may kill Medicare by about 2020. Reform is needed now on it. But Obama's solution is focused on driving down the payments made to providers and regulating the private insurance market. Providers that already despise Medicare payments they are getting today. Take a ride to the Doctor with an old person on Medicare and watch the way Doctors treat them. Unfortunately, I've done this more than I care to and it's the reason why I have to supervise EVERY aspect of this care for my family today.
While regulation such as the current proposal can produce short-term results it can also have a suppressive effect on the market that it is trying to impact. It will cause Doctors to look away from Medicare coverage, unless a law is enacted to ensure compliance. Then, the best Doctors will only be available to the super wealthy. I have found that the best Doctors don't take insurance at all, and their ranks are growing.
Again, I want to be clear--I'm not saying 'no regulation' but very light touches are needed and we are heading toward heavy handed. How about the no-insurance penalty, for real?
I think Obama may be missing the mark on reform by not focusing on Medicare/Medicaid reform exclusively at this time.