keep it simple, stupid
Now here’s a good idea:
I could be wrong, but if I were to guess what the American people are looking to buy, it would be something that can be articulated pretty simply and emerges from some basic American values of fairness and common sense. I’d say it is really about these three things:
- Every American gets a baseline level of solid health care. No one is left behind.
- No American need be at risk of financial ruin or bankrupt because they get sick.
- The program is manageable (not transformational) and fiscally responsible. Americans want to feel reasonably certain we won’t see mushrooming costs like with Medicare and the prescription drug plan.
That’s it, Mr. President. We don’t need “Free! Free! Free! Preventive Care!” or a set of Ginsu steak knives to sweeten the deal. Put together a package that does these three things, pitch them clearly and simply, and you’ll close the sale.
Interestingly, Wyden-Bennett S391 accomplishes all three. HRH 3200 at best accomplishes one of the three. Just sayin…
Class dismissed. Check back Mr. President. We’ll be continuing your sales education in a future post.
Read the whole thing.
Where I come down on government responsibility is that I think basic emergency insurance should be mandatory for anyone who can afford it, just like car insurance. That keeps hospitals from going into the red to treat a guy who makes $50,000 / year and wants to gamble with his health.
I also think that there should be ways of covering people when they are between jobs. COBRA is great, but what if you can’t afford it? Again, I’m just talking emergency care.
The last piece of the puzzle is that I think every child in America should have basic wellness coverage. That means one physical per year, 2 dental visits, 1 eye exam and of course treatment for any illnesses that crop up. I consider that a moral obligation of the government and non-negotiable. You don’t let kids suffer because their parents are poor, irresponsible or just have bad luck. Period.
If the President wants to reset the debate and offer a common-sense way to get to those three things, i’m willing to listen.Report
Has anyone considered making health insurance and either whole or term life insurance a package deal? (I cant imagine how term might work, but maybe there’s some genius out there who could work it out) I mean, you know what they say about how money now is worth more than money later, so that would dramatically increase the quality of healthcare, and might even lower the costs to the companies by forcing them to cover cheaper preventative measures. If a company has both life and health insurance on the same person, then the best route is to take damn good care of that person.
If Wyden-Bennett S391 included something along these lines, I’d be positively sold, which surprises me. I’ve always looked at insurance companies as piratical giants, and was hoping for at the least a government run plan, but your right in saying that the HRH 3200 is a load of junk.
I also agree with Mike at the big stick. The government does have a moral obligation. It’s in an unparalleled position to do good for the world.
We need to stop buying bombs and start buying bandages. But that’s a whole other discussionReport