Health Care Reform

This is one of the most divisive topics I am coming across in conversations with people. I support some of the proposed measures, but not all. Here are my thoughts on them:

1. C'mon folks, if the government can't even balance its own budget, what makes you think it can run health care?? They can't even run the country half as efficiently as a CEO runs a company!
2. Nothing in the proposed health care reform mentions anything about cutting the cost of health care -- isn't that the primary reason why so many are without health coverage?
   
3. For those are us who have lived outside of the US and have seen government health care as part of life, none of us want to see it here. Let me just ask you this: why do you think the Canadians and other international citizens come to America for health care? They may have less expensive prescriptions at home, but they come here for health care!
4. Here's a great example of government health care functioning in America -- the Veterans Affairs Hospitals. Most of the veterans I know go to the VA for their prescriptions and tests and stuff, but they go to their own doctors for care. Why do you think that is?
   
5. I agree that insurance companies should not deny coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions. I also feel that higher premiums for people with pre-existing conditions is justifiable. Afterall, it is a good incentive for people to take responsibility for their health.
   
6. Being pro-life myself, I absolutely will not allow my money to pay for someone's abortion(s). I am against including abortions as part of health coverage. If someone wants to have an abortion, they can pay for it out of their own pockets. This also means that I do not think having a taxpayer-subsidised insurance company should allow for abortion coverage, whether it is a separate optional coverage or not. That being said, I am alright with abortions being declared a FSA-eligible item (FSA=Flex Spending Accounts).
7. The government insists that every American have health coverage -- I'd like to see that happen. The government will fine every American who doesn't -- if you could only afford crappy health insurance, which is sometimes just as good as no insurance, should you flush away money every month just to avoid paying the fine? Oh, and why should members of the government be exempt from these same programmes required of Americans?
8. One of the goals for the reform is to reward doctors for keeping patients healthy and not just treating them when they are sick. I'm sorry but "it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." (For the record, you will find those exact words in the Bible. Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:31 [NIV].) Duh! The responsibility of your health lies solely on yourself! Science has already shown us that healthy lifestyles ward off many chronic diseases. It's up to each person to put it into practice!
   

Last but not least, this concluding thought is not just about the health care reform debate. It's about how much do we really want the government in our lives. For people who want all these programmes by the government, you believe that you are entitled to something, and I have this to say to you: You are not owed anything and do not deserve to have anything handed to you on a silver platter. If you want what you want, then go out and work 3 jobs to pay for what you want.

Now, back to what I was saying, if we want the government to have all these programmes, where do you think the money comes from? There are only 2 ways for the government to pay for programmes:

1. Raise taxes -- With the exception of one country, all the other countries with government health care have taxes of more than 50% (some up to 85%) of a person's income.
   
2. Print more money -- In other words, deflate the value of the currency, which means everything will cost MUCH more.

Are you still crying for the government to take care of you? Time to wake up and grow up -- that's your own responsibility.