Monday, March 27, 2017

You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours



Did you ever own a fully restored classic car?  No?  Me either....they were always waaay above my pay grade.  But I have known people who did, and they all told me their restoration was a gradual, evolutionary process that took years before their cars were trophy winners.

First they disassembled everything to see what needed to be done.  Then they rebuilt the engine and transmission while the body was being repaired and repainted.  Finally everything was put back together, with new re-chromed wheels and appropriately sized tires.  With a new convertible top and upholstery, it was ready to meet the show judges.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stay with me here....Now that a replacement for ObamaCare has fizzled it looks like we're stuck with the old ACA, and that's a problem.  By all accounts it's failing fast.  There are too few insurance companies to choose from in many areas, premiums are rising, and deductibles are so high many people can't afford to actually use the insurance they're paying for.  So instead of just walking away from it and watching it wither, and killing people (literally) in the process, why don't reasonable people work together to FIX IT?

Just like with a classic car, first you see what needs to be fixed.  Then piece-by-piece you clean it up and keep what you can, buy new, better parts as needed, and finally reassemble it to become something that actually works.  It's an evolutionary process, not an overnight quick fix.

They say there isn't enough competition between insurance companies, so why not allow them to compete across state lines?  The GOP campaigned on that idea, and if it can bring down premiums, why would the Democrats object?  (They've always said insurance companies were their archenemies, right?  Here's their big chance to spank 'em!Except for the health insurance company CEO with a mega-bonus at stake, why would anyone object to companies competing for your business?  Am I missing something?

They say the pharmaceutical companies are screwing us blind, which is another reason insurance costs are so high.  The Democrats on the Left and now the Tea Party on the Right have always wanted to come down hard on them, so why can't they bury the hatchet long enough to give Big Pharma an ultimatum?  "Get your prices here in America in line with the international market, or we'll free up consumers to legally buy their prescriptions overseas.  No more official government cover."

Line-by-line, read the ACA, keep it if it's working, and change it if it isn't.  Have an ongoing amendment process that keeps constantly striving to improve it.  The old system (pre-ObamaCare) was slowing failing us, so it was just a matter of time before something new had to be tried.

They say if everyone walks away from a negotiation just a little miffed, it was probably a fair deal.  Forget the concept of "all or none".  It's time for some give and take.  Americans seem pretty fed up with the extremists after their sorry debacle last week, so this might be a good time for moderates to get something done.

We have us one helluva mess.  Something has to change. 

S

12 comments:

  1. Bingo!! This thing is too complicated to get it right in one fell swoop. It should be a work in progress, and accept that everyone will never be happy with everything.

    Walking through NYC with my Pops about 60 years ago; through construction and road work he said, "This will be a great city when they finish it!" It is a great city, and it is still not finished. Healthcare could be the same.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The reason the GOP will never, ever do that is because it has the word 'Obama' attached; they cannot bring themselves to do anything but scream the word 'no!' and hold up a cross when they hear that word. Over 40% of the rank-and-file members of the republican party believe he's Muslim.
    You're looking rationality in this process, and while commendable, it's a quality not present in this issue.
    Cheers,
    Mike

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So why can't we name it MikeCare, or ScottCare? And again, I don't care what the fringe thinks of it, they're out of the game. It would be for moderates, a few Dems and a few Republicans, who together would have the votes to get something done. Yeah, it's a long shot, but right now we have NO SHOT.

      Delete
  3. The only game in town (DC) is the power game and in order to win that you have to play the blame game which does not allow anything to be done. And remember some of those old cars can't be restored because the frame is bent totally out of shape. You then have to rebuild it starting with a new frame. "An elephant is a horse designed by a committee (congress)."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But if your dysfunctional family was to go out and buy a new project car, they would argue whether to buy an old Jag or Healey, or a Mercedes or Porsche, and would wind up buying nothing, and we need something because right now we're riding a skateboard. At least by starting with SOMETHING already in the garage, the restoration would get a jump start.

      Delete
    2. Check out "booster boards". Better than skate boards, more environmentally friendly than cars, cheaper to operate and still get you where you want to go. :) Try again.

      Delete
    3. You want me to ride a rooster around town? That's stupid! Oh, wait....you said booster. Nevermind.

      Delete
    4. I am going to let that softball go by without swinging. You through a perfect strike.

      Delete
  4. Plenty of blueprints are out there in other countries that have universal health care. However, Americans always think they are superior and know best, so they won't hear of any other country getting it right. When it comes to Congress, "too many cooks spoil the broth." Nothing will come from their scattered dysfunction.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The ACA is not imploding, but you can bet Republicans will try and make it collapse. The time has come to take "Repeal" off the table. Both parties need to come up with a fix to help all Americans.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But actually Steve many carriers are pulling out of the insurance exchanges. With many area of the country having only one or two companies to choose from, they pretty much have consumers held hostage. The ACA's decline is gradual, but steady. That's why we need to find a fix for it while we still have time.

      Delete
  6. I agree. The President's promise "we will let it explode" (or was it "implode"?) is totally irresponsible and unacceptable.

    ReplyDelete