Hal O’Brien – 林白山

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How opponents of the "public option" view the world

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Hal

Good: A large, faceless, bureaucratic institution that has no competition called an “insurance company.”

Bad: A large, faceless, bureaucratic institution that has no competition called a “government.”

Good: Paying an annual sum of $12,000 a year per person in a transfer called an “insurance premium.”

Bad: Paying an annual sum of $12,000 a year per person (or, whisper it softly, less) in a transfer called a “tax.”

Good: Aggregating the total cost to the nation and employers if paid in “taxes.”

Bad: Aggregating the total cost to the nation and employers if paid as “insurance premiums.”

Good: Rationing health care using dollars.

Bad: Rationing health care using medical advice.

Good: Not being able to “choose your own doctor” through price constraints and insurance company policies.

Bad: Not being able to “choose your own doctor” through resource constraints and government policies.

*^*^*

Good: Having a substantial percentage of the population uninsured.

Bad: Having the overwhelming majority of the population insured.

Good: Having high absenteeism and lost productivity due to poor employee health.

Bad: Having low absenteeism and optimal productivity due to good employee health.

Good: Having only private companies who have themselves grown to be large, faceless, bureaucratic institutions that have no competition be able to afford insurance premiums for their employees.

Bad: Having private companies who have themselves grown to be large, faceless, bureaucratic institutions receive competition from smaller, more nimble, more agile companies who are now able to afford insurance premiums for their employees.

Good: Having US employers at a competitive disadvantage to employers in countries that insure their citizens.

Bad: Giving US employers a level playing field in the global marketplace.

Good: Having citizens, employees, and small business owners who are lucky enough to be covered in the first place, live in constant fear of losing that coverage, either for themselves or their employees.

Bad: Having citizens, employees, and small business owners covered, and unafraid of losing that coverage, either for themselves or their employees.

This entry was posted in Business, Civic Engagement, Economics, History, Medical, Portfolio, The American Experience by Hal. Bookmark the permalink.
© 2013 Hal O’Brien – 林白山
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