When the Frog You're Asked to Kiss is Not a Prince

We have a "business as usual" state of affairs taking place in Washington and the man we elected to drive CHANGE is leading us down a path of MORE OF THE SAME. This is a shame since it is completely contrary to the platform on which he ran for office.

The truth of the political process proves itself again - can we the American people never learn? Anyone running for elected office, best intentions or not, has no idea of how what they are saying will play out once they learn the truth of the office.

Health Reform is necessary. Let me repeat - Health Reform is necessary.

However the current proposals do little to address the root issues. What we get instead is a mandate that isn't a mandate. A "public" option that isn't public. And everyone will participate - unless they don't want to participate. We have insurance companies vilified and then handcuffed of their First Amendment rights of communication. A political party that has essentially promised to drive this legislation through the approval process unilaterally.

All this in the name of democracy, CHANGE and a new Washington?

What is certain, with all due respect, is that no one involved in formulating this legislation has a thimble full of relevant and meaningful experience in health care.

No one has addressed the root issues.

What has been devised is another government mandated program targeted to assist at best a quarter of the "legal" residents with most likely half that number ultimately included in the end. This plan, like the IRS, will solve the waste and fraud issue through back end punitive measures and price fixing on par with Medicare payment levels that will drive costs up because it will drive utilization up.

The issue in health care is the tens of thousands of nuances that drive today's costs. Sure we can point to the Dartmouth study that highlights regional spending variations but looking at health care on a macro level misses the reality of how to impact the micro level at which it operates.

Patient accountability is a huge factor and no amount of legislation gives us incentive to take better care of ourselves. Providers have become businesses and in today's model of care they don't get paid unless they see patients and provide services. Patients, unlike customers, aren't well equipped to decide whether or not they need a service in the same way they decide to purchase clothing.

The foolishness of the plan that has been negotiated behind the closed doors of politicians (this should be very worrisome even to the most liberal among us) can't even be challenged by those who understand the larger implications. The reason is because this is a political process where pride has become a more important motivator than common sense, truth and justice.

Emotional and political buttons have been pressed by both sides and there has been no balance to the discussion.

What will you do to learn the truth of the problem so you can speak from a postition of knowledge instead of from emotion?