Weighing in on Health Care

National Health Care. It's a topic on many people's minds. Typically, the most vocal either strongly approve of a entire system overhaul, with a public option available, or vehemently oppose such actions in the name of a free market with little or no government control, involvement, spending, etc.... Where do I stand? At one point in my life, it would have been a no-brainer, landing solely on the side of the free market. However, after some life experience, I've gotten to where it is a no-brainer on the other side. I read a very interesting opinion the other day by Nicholas Kristof, which is summarized succinctly in this paragraph:

"Throughout the industrialized world, there are a handful of these areas where governments fill needs better than free markets: fire protection, police work, education, postal service, libraries, health care. The United States goes along with this international trend in every area but one: health care."

That needs to change. It's time to dump the entire profit-driven system for a patient-driven system. Right now, as an active-duty member of the US military, we have excellent health-care benefits that focus on the patient, and not on making dollars. The result is my family is healthier than we've been in years. In fact, before joining the military, due to lack of insurance options that were affordable, our family went for 7 years without any insurance. We are very lucky that there were no major illnesses or accidents that would have left us with a lifetime of financial ruin, an all too common tale in this amazing country, and in fact one of leading causes of bankruptcy. To me, this issue is not monetary, but moral. It is not at all surprising that many of the people voicing the biggest complaints about this needed reform are those who would be losing out on health-care related profits. To those who don't want government involvement, this is a system that is already highly subsidized by the government, with heavy tax breaks given for employers offering health-care to their workers, and insurance companies reaping the profits. To conclude, another quote from the same article referenced above:

"I just don’t understand why we may be about to reject health reform and stick with a dysfunctional system that takes away the health coverage of hard-working Americans when they become too sick to work...America may reject reform and stick with a system that drives families into bankruptcy when they get sick. Let’s hope we won’t miss this chance. A public role in health care shouldn’t be any scarier or more repugnant than a public fire department."

All of the opposition is bewildering. And unfortunate.