Opus 2017-197: Health Care Discussions: Pre-existent Conditions

Health care is on everyone’s mind.  Some have almost none and are struggling getting even basic care.  Some still have good coverage but the future is shrouded with all the monkey business of the Obama Care manipulations.  The cost is going up for everyone.  It is hard to figure out what is really happening because so many people distort what they tell us.  Congress is in the process of drafting a new health plan.

We need to have the discussion and be open to creative thinking.

There are some legitimate issues that need to be addressed in our modern society.  One of those is the issue of pre-existing conditions.  There is a genuine concerned group and a I-want-something-for-nothing crowd.

Some people have been paying into health care all their lives.  They have made the payments and co-payments.  Then, they need to make a change.  It might be their choice or beyond their control but the change means a new insurance plan.  People like this deserve some assurance that health issues will continue to be covered.  At the same time, insurance companies need to be able to cover the expense of the care.  I would think that requiring companies to give bridge coverage would be doable.  You might need to list out requirements for things like the level of previous coverage and how long you were covered but it could be worked out.

On the other hand you have the people who feel they are not sick so why should they pay for insurance.  They seem to think they can save all that money and then get a policy when they have a problem.  Economically clever but a bit irresponsible.  They want to play the hand without putting in the ante.  Why should they expect someone else to pay for what they were too selfish to take care of.  I don’t think society owes deliberate parasites a thing.

There is a third group who have never been able to afford insurance.  My parents were in that category.  We made it just fine with occasional help from community agencies.  Of course that is the view of a child who did not need to pay the bills.

You can have requirements that previous conditions must be covered and still have a free market.  The key is having the playing field level.  If every insurance company is required to follow the same rules and turned loose it will lower costs.  If every person who wants something for nothing and pulls at our heart strings gets full coverage, nothing will work.

The discussion needs to go on without the name calling and distortion.

homo unius libri