Voices: Hope for genuine reform

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February 1, 2010

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Mon Feb 01, 2010, 08:55 AM CST

I definitely understand the anger and frustration of “Invoking God” (Jan. 4, Opinion page).

Despite my fear of big government intrusion, I am open to the concept of health care reform legislation.

However, current reform strikes me as eerily similar to the Soviet Union’s assistance in the Warsaw (Poland) uprising of Aug. 1 — Oct. 2, 1944. While Stalin, in his power grab denied the starving Poles any Western assistance, he provided unusable ammunition and rat poison-laced flour. The result? Thirty-seven years of Soviet rule.

That this present health reform is nothing more than a “for profit” unethical power grab is evidenced in the Massachusetts Senate race. Big dollar supporters of Martha Coakley, (who supports the present plan) included Pfizer, Merk, Eli Lilly, Novartis, etc. ... all health care giants. Profit, not reform, is their motive, as power is the administration’s.

Real reform, as tort reform, is a dead issue since the party in power is owned by the trial lawyer lobby (Wall Street Journal, Sept. 29, 2009). If it were passed, health care savings would amount to 5 percent to 13 percent of current expenses. At 5 percent on 250 million of us now insured, we could cover 13 million uninsured at no increased cost.

Other reforms (also rejected) include financial incentives for patients to forgo unnecessary or non-essential treatments, or for generic over top-dollar care. Governmental rules and mandates also need revision. This is especially true in enabling self-inflicted conditions such as immoral behaviors, morbid obesity, drug and alcohol abuse. ... When patients take some responsibility for their care, then demand declines and services for critical needs improve.

If these savings alone total 11 percent of the current spending (and yes, smarter people than me can add to this list), consider this — nearly 30 million uninsured could be covered without any raid on our treasury or a corresponding erosion in values or liberty. This is why I pray for the defeat of the current proposal while hoping for genuine reform.

Dave Spiering

Lamar

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Voices: Hope for genuine reform

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

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