America - Heal Thyself

The U.S. Constitution puts forth the proposition that we are all entitled to ‘Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’.  When Thomas Jefferson first wrote those words in 1776 such a thought was so progressive and astonishing that it is said the King of England laughed when he read it.

The thought that someone has the ‘right’ to be happy? Come on. Really?

Yea. Really.

Since its inception the Constitution of the United States of America has been a model of progressive ideals. I find humor in the fact that so many conservative politicians identify with “The Founding Fathers” ideals. Most of them are not even close.

Besides the rule of law, a free press and our democratic institutions, the Constitution affords us unalienable rights to Life and Happiness. If adequate and equal healthcare does not fall in that definition, then nothing does.  Life is dependent on heath.  As my grandfather used to say: “You are nothing without your health!”   

I have no magic bullet for universal healthcare in this country. Obama came close – but penalties for not insuring yourself? Really? Every time we use tax laws and bureaucratic triangulation to solve our problems, we are bound to fall short of expectations.

Medicare for all might work – but its expense could be crippling – even for the wealthiest country in the world. Not to mention it results in de facto nationalization of insurance companies.  

Free enterprise and competition has always been a pathway to the best possible products at the lowest possible costs. Only when the government steps in with laws and regulations that stifle competition do we falter; like giving drug companies exclusive patent rights to life saving drugs – then they price gouge patients and insurance companies because they have no competition.  

One of the most egregious parts of Obamacare was the limits on profits that insurance companies could claim.  A certain percentage of all premiums paid had to go directly to claims. This may sound good on the surface, but it is socialistic as hell. Regulation is one thing – control is something else altogether. Controlling business and markets has always had unintended consequences. 

The same was true with the Obamacare provisions that taxed people who choose not to have insurance. This too was very socialist in nature and not at all what I would call 'progressive'. 

Obamacare was progressive in respect to eliminating eligibility requirements for hi-risk individuals and those with prior or existing conditions.  But it did little to promote good health or lower drug costs. 

Rather than managing healthcare with individual taxes, market regulations and price controls, maybe we need to take the gloves off altogether.   

Make insurance companies compete and give them tax incentives to be the lowest cost, highest quality providers under a progressive federal plan. Eliminate drug patent protection for any drug costing more than $100 a dose.  Make all states allow and honor policies from insurance companies registered with the federal plan.  

I'm sure there are a dozen more things we can do to give incentives to private insurance companies to adopt the McD volume model (McDonald's found they would rather make .50 cents a piece on a million burgers, than two dollars a piece on a thousand).  The secret is accessible quality - in volume.  The internet is an excellent framework to make this possible for health insurance.

We are smart enough to make something work. I just know it.

JWB