Dean Clancy has a Five-Point plan to repeal ObamaCare. Let’s assume it is as bad as the detractors say. Breaking things is easy. Making something worthwhile that works, not so much.
What are the anti-ObamaCare people doing to combat the health industry oligopoly? If they put this much energy into working with their political opponents to reform or reinvent the health care industry to keep costs reasonable there would be no need for ObamaCare. Ballooning health care costs put a greater drag on the economy than taxes.
Since 2008 my wife and I pay for our family health insurance out of pocket. Our premium started at around $1400/month ($16,800, plus co-pays). This year’s premium is $2300/month ($27,600, plus increased co-pays). That’s a $10k or a 64% increase (not including co-pay increases) on top of an already obscene amount of money. During that same period of time (2008 – 2012) inflation trended down from 6% in 2008 to -2% in 2009 to 2010. And is now about 1.75%.
Leaving aside the discussion about whether health care was already too expensive in 2008, health insurance companies, hospital administrators, doctors, most other medical professionals, medical supply and device manufacturers, the pharmaceutical industry and the insurance executives were already making record salaries and profits.
How the hell can anyone explain increases like that as anything other than greed? Why isn’t the Republican controlled House of Representatives or the Tea Party providing any constructive leadership?
Where’s the five point plan to cage the rapacious health care beast? In my own personal economy, halving health insurance increases over the last four years equals the cost of a modest car or a year of tuition at a state college, or the bassoon my daughter needs so she can pursue a career in music.
I admit I’m not an economist. Neither did I, along with most of our legislators, most of the the pundits, and the average American, read the entire Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. So maybe Dean’s right. Maybe the law stinks. But damn it Dean us regular folks are drowning in health care costs. Since you don’t like “ObamaCare,” where’s your five point plan to overhaul the health care system?