Government Action, Hot News, News, President Obama, Regulations

16% of the Economy

That’s what health care costs represent. Early in the debate about the dramatic changes being considered, Pres. Obama changed the title from “health care reform” to “health insurance reform.” I guess he didn’t want to suggest that doctors weren’t properly caring for their patients, and thought by villifying the insurance companies America would get behind him.

This has not really happened. Mostly because people cannot support something they just don’t understand. Multiple bills are flying all aroud. The latest one from Sen. Reid, which he hopes to pass including the so-called “public option,” is not even available until the Congressional Budget Office tells us what the cost will be, after which the Senate leaders probably will say the CBO was wrong. Forget that during the Bush Administration they constantly relied on the CBO to bash the then President’s plans.

I don’t know how I feel about all this. But I do know I’d like to have some time to have smart people outside of politics look at the proposed bill and tell us objectively what it contains, and, more importantly, what the implications are of what it contains. Insuring uninsured children is a good idea. Getting coverage regardless of your history is a good idea. Penalties if you refuse to buy health insurance? Not so sure. Obama says, well, we require everyone to have auto insurance, why not this? My response: you can choose not to have a car. And I am very, very concerned about the cost. I am also very, very concerned about the slippery slope it might put us on to full on socialized medicine, which in the past Obama says he supports (the so-called “single payor system”).

But I can’t really say anything until we see the whole enchilada. What do you think?