America's answer to health "insurance"; Health Unions

This is a short video from a woman who is part of the online community Current.com. It's short, concise, and speaks volumes...don't you think?

Let's cut to the chase here, our current health-care system just isn't working. The fact that we just continue to accept this failure makes me feel a bit too much like a sheep awaiting slaughter. When did we become the fuel that runs “their” profit machines? More importantly, when did we decide to accept our fate as nothing more than batteries in this great wasteful country?

I, for one, am sick of it. Pun intended…

The purpose of this post is not to delve into the feasibility, or common sense, of universal health care. The purpose of this post is to suggest another alternative.

We, the people...

Those words, at one time, meant something. Heck, those words are meaningful enough to be the introduction to our declaration of independence. What do those words mean today? We, the people, today represent nothing more than opportunities for profit; numbers on a balance sheet.

We can point our fingers, and give all the blame to the vultures who would have us for dinner, but that wouldn't exactly be just. We have convinced ourselves that we are helpless at the hands of our government. Instead of demanding more from our public servants, we continue to choose the lesser of the evils...

Then, we ask the government nicely if they wouldn't mind please giving us health insurance. Pretty please? Its no wonder nothing has happened; we aren't really asserting ourselves, are we? And let's not fool ourselves into thinking the government is unaware of our plight. Medical bills are the number one cause of bankruptcy in this country, and it's projected, and accepted, that Medi-care will bankrupt the nation as a whole by mid-century.

But that's not the point of this post either...

It's time we take matters into our own hands.

Ever heard of a credit union? The non-profit of banking offers "members" more lucrative interest rates, reduced fees, and other benefits. This is only possible because groups of people get together and decide to cut out the middleman. Strength in numbers can be a powerful thing when put to use.

My last post showed how easy it would be to cut out the middleman on a national level but, until that happens, we need a better way. There are, quite literally, lives at stake, and we need a solution yesterday.

I believe, that with resources available to us, there is no reason why we cannot, today, create a non-profit insurance company that would serve the interests of it's members above all else. An insurance company, by the people, for the people, and above all, not for profit…

How exactly would it work? I'll not pretend to be an accounting genius, but I'll bet there are plenty of geniuses out there who do have an interest in seeing something like this happen. I guarantee that we could get some of the biggest minds, and even bigger pocketbooks, on board with an idea like this.

What if you paid for your insurance, like you or your employer do now, only you actually got the care that you need? What if your "health union" provided materials, lessons, and resources for healthy living in addition to critical care?
Preventative care in America?
As you may know, many of the conditions that aile us are easily preventable.
Yes, I said easily.

Knowing this, I submit that a health union would best serve its members by providing incentives to live healthier lives, as well as providing the necessary vehicles for change.

Potential “perks” could include, at low or no cost:

• Fitness training for home-bound, special case, or other
• Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates classes for ALL age levels (these are amazing tools for older patients)
• Access to a dietary nutritionist
• Prescribed, customized, diet plans (not just for diabetics!)
• Cardio clubs
• Gym memberships
• Addiction/Action support groups
• etc.

Even better, not only could these services be provided, but members could also be rewarded monetarily for taking advantage of these health management tools. Attend yoga regularly? That's x number of dollars off your membership fees!

Not only would this mean that patients would NEVER be denied care, but it also would lead to healthier members who, in turn, would require less care.

Is this making sense?

What do you do, when there's nothing you can do? It's time that we show them that we CAN and WILL do…

We will not allow our government, our lives and our futures to be hijacked. We will not allow corporate deals, and government neglect to leave our health at risk any longer.

Even today, with a presidential election around the corner, our candidates are not fully prepared to take on this challenge. Though she will claim that healthcare is a top priority, Hillary Clinton’s plan leaves us empty handed, much as we are now. Obama’s plan is the closest that I have seen to what I am suggesting here, as a last ditch effort. He, at least, proposes a plan that leaves no one turned away, and promises affordable rates along with subsidies as necessary.

Again, I will stress that we shouldn’t wait any longer for our “elected” politicians to do this for us. We need to use our market to our own advantage, and not the other way around.

Competition is intended to benefit us, not to corner us in a world that we can’t afford to live in.

Expect more. Demand more. Let’s take our health into our own hands, and leave the insurance companies to follow suit, or rot. That’s exactly what these corporations and our own government have done to us; so, if we can’t beat ‘em, let’s join ‘em, and show these jerks how the game is REALLY played…

H.R. 676 - What's the deal?

I'm 26 years young, and I can't remember the last time I went to the doctor...

Or the dentist for that matter. In fact, I'm in bed as I write this, sick with a nasty chest cold... Go to the doctor, you say?!?

I laugh in the face of such wild suggestions. You see, I'm uninsured. As a small business owner, I don't have an employer to help me with the cost of insurance, and at my young age, it simply isn't a priority. If the money isn't there...Oh well.

From outside appearances, you would see a healthy, vivacious young woman...but what would a doctor or dentist see? I don't know, because I just can't afford the cost of going to see a doctor. I am one of 47 million Americans who do not have access to health insurance or care. Don't glaze that number over, think about the scale we're talking about. 47 MILLION Americans have no access to medical care. 8.7 million of those Americans are children.

What would you do if you could guarantee health care to every single American? To every child? To every young adult such as myself? If you could, would you?

You have that opportunity, and the amazing thing is, you can give and receive all in the same action. Allow me to explain...

America, privately and publicly, is projected to spend $2,776 billion in the year 2010, on healthcare alone. That's $1,305 billion spent by the government, and $1,471 billion in private spending. We can agree, that's A LOT of money, right?

Where is all that money going? This question should be at the center of the debate on National Health Insurance. Why does it cost so much to carry insurance or to pick up a prescription? Why does the USA have the poorest rated health care among all developed countries, even when it comes to simple things like immunization?

You can start with the $278 billion that is spent on administrative tasks ALONE. Doctors and hospitals have to spend this money in order to interface with the complicated insurance system. In addition, the insurance companies themselves spend a small fortune in non-health related areas such as sales, marketing, underwriting, and of course, extravagant executive salaries. It has been projected that a full 31% of American health care dollars are wasted on these unnecessary expenses.

So, in the end, how much would it cost to insure every single American? Well, actually, the basic numbers show a SAVINGS of $387 billion per year, in addition to an overage of new funds. A savings? We can provide comprehensive medical coverage to every single American, and actually spend LESS? Yes, that's exactly what the numbers are telling us.

So, who will pay for these 47 million Americans? Here's the thing...Together, we will all provide health care to each other. Even if you are currently insured, you will spend less, and get more comprehensive care. Even better, your employer will spend less on insurance, and therefore be more profitable, facilitating bigger and better pay raises or other benefits.

No matter how you look at it, it's just more economical if we cut out that pricey, for-profit, middle man.

Here's the fiscal breakdown: For the average American, the only cost associated with NHI will be a 3.3% payroll tax. Needless to say, that's significantly lower than the deductibles, co-pays, and premiums that you currently pay, even if you have insurance through your employer. This tax alone will raise $538 billion. That pretty much covers the average Americans contribution to National Health Insurance. But what about the rest of the money, where will that come from?

This bill also includes a tax surcharge of 5% on the richest 5% of taxpayers, and 10% on the richest 1%, raising $200 billion. Reversing the tax cuts of 2001 and 2002 will bring in an additional $251 billion, and a reduction in CORPORATE WELFARE will save us an additional $100 billion. Last, but not least, a .25% stock transfer tax will raise $150 billion.

All together, that's $1,259 billion per year in new revenue. Combine that with the $387 billion savings from cutting out the administrative fluff, and you have a combined total of $1,646 billion which far exceeds the $1,187 billion that we need to replace the current multi-payer system.

Unfair to the wealthy you say? While the wealthiest among us may pay more tax, they too will reap the benefits, probably on an even larger scale. It's safe to say that those in the wealthiest 1% are business owners, who will no longer have to provide insurance to their employees, a huge savings. In addition, they will be left with a healthier group of consumers, with more money in their pockets. Sounds good to me!

It's amazing to me that this great nation, the great United States of America that I idolized as a child, is so lacking in common sense and humanity. We serve, literally, as an example to other developed nations, as what NOT to do. Other nations see our morbidly bloated health care costs as a side effect of a multi-payer system, and they are smart enough to go the other direction.

Health care is not a luxury; it's not a privilege; it should be a basic right in any civilized society that has the capability to provide it. Health care should not be exploited to the benefit of multi-billion dollar companies, yet that's what's happening every day. Americans should never be denied care in the name of increasing profits, yet countless insured Americans are sick and/or die because they have been denied care, all at the hands of a far-off insurance company.

Is the American government at work for the American people, or are the American people nothing more than tools for the profit of government workers?

Will you take care of tomorrows leaders, or today's lobbyists?

America needs change, and I can't think of a better place to start than by taking care of Americans first. It's more than just health care; it's taking a stance on American principles and priorities.

Together, we can see the next stage of American evolution; we can put people over profit.