PLAYED AGAIN!

It's been a while since I last got something off my chest so this may be a little windy but here it goes.

Do you notice any uptick in the insurance industry's anti health care reform ads? Why haven't they been blitzing the networks and cable with all sorts of future ominous results if it passes? It's not because they don't have the money. Their war chest is full. You would think the rhetoric would be at a deafening pitch. The Democrats seem to be closer than ever to passing a health care reform bill. Something just doesn't ring true here. Have the insurance companies raised enough hell to convince Americans they really are against any reform? They had me convinced. Now I wonder if it was all a grand smoke screen. Why would insurers, at this stage of the game, be attempting to raise rates on private policies anywhere from 39% to 75%? This is all over the news. What an outrage! Do these people have no sense of propriety to their own cause?! How could they be so crass at such a delicate moment? Are they stupid? Could they have worse timing?

I am suspicious that their timing is impeccable. They are definitely not stupid. What's in it for them? Why would they want health care reform? Little increased regulation for one. If the current proposal passes, insurance companies will not be able to rescind sick customers or refuse anyone insurance due to "pre-existing" conditions. That, on the face of it, would seem to be a good thing for the insured. Unfortunately, there is no cost containment language in the proposal. Sure, they will be happy to insure you but at an intentionally prohibitive rate. Breast cancer? No problem! Not until your new rates arrive in the mail. Could you afford monthly premiums twice what your house payment is? They can charge you any amount they damn well please! They will say "We didn't rescind anyone nor did we cancel any policies due to new ailments. These customers just quit paying their premiums. We were forced to cancel them. We didn't want to. Honest."

How about the 30 million people that this legislation will force to buy insurance. People who are young and/or willing to take a chance that their health will hold up for a while longer. 30 million new customers mostly young and healthy. The ideal customer! A captive clientele that won't be making any claims in the immediate future and when they do, their rates just skyrocket. If you're an insurer, why would you put up a fuss about that scenario? The perfect world! A no lose situation! The insurance industry's deafening silence belies their true intent.

The bottom line is new found prosperity for the insurance industry in a now "no risk" business and sick people will still be falling through the cracks. It is unconscionable, indefensible and near criminal!

The cure for this, and what poll after poll indicates the majority of voters want, and our politicians continue to ignore, is Medicare for all with an income based premium. If you like your current insurance, you can keep it. This is called The Public Option. It is also called COMPETITION!
And this is NO BULL.

HEALTH CARE CAVE IN

It appears that the Democrats have all but caved in to the Republicans and big insurance. The public option, I suspect, will soon be nothing but a memory. The new rules that are supposed to reign in costs will only give the insurance industry millions of new customers who will be forced to buy their lousy products.

The insurance companies will have to insure everyone who applies but the words "affordable rates" have been removed. If I apply for a health insurance policy and have a "pre-existing condition", they can charge whatever premiums they want, in effect denying my application by making it too expensive. Nice work guys. I guess, once again, even though the vast majority favors a strong public option, our elected officials will flag their noses at us, pat us on our little heads and say "We know best children. Now go along and play." Sooner or later, as a citizenry, we MUST STOP putting up with this patronizing!