I haven’t written much about the current healthcare debate that is literally raging across America right now. The reason for that is that, frankly, I don’t have a very clear understanding of the proposals and the potential results of those proposals. I do know that something has to change. From my personal point of view I know this: My healthcare costs have gone up like clockwork every single year since I’ve carried health insurance. My healthcare insurance premiums have doubled over the course of the last decade. My wages have not really adjusted at all over the course of the last decade. That could be my own fault; but even if I were a competent, productive member of society, I doubt very much that my wages would have doubled over the last decade.
I also know that the Republicans are suggesting that they have a number of their own proposals that they say will reduce health-care costs. This makes me angry. The Republicans had their opportunity to pass whatever legislation they wanted, and they chose not to act on the issue of health-care. For them it was apparently not a priority. Now that the Democrats are choosing to address a growing problem that affects nearly every citizen, the Republicans want to chime in and say they have a better plan. Well where was their plan four years ago when they had control of the Congress and the White House? To me, through their inaction, the Republicans have made it clear that they don’t mind the status quo, and that they side with the insurance and pharmaceutical corporations.
My wife and I also have had the misfortune of dealing with a major medical issue – one that has involved multiple surgeries and treatments. Even with a good insurance plan, including our premium payments, a solid one-third of our income has gone to medical expenses over the course of the last three years. This is untenable, and luckily we are seeing the light at the end of this horrific tunnel. Our current system literally adds insult to injury – the very worst situation befalls you, and you get a nice fat bill for it that can put you in the poorhouse; unbelievable.
I don’t know; I get that we’re in a capitalist society and that the free market is supposed to be the driving mechanism behind everything we do – but health, it feels like there is an ethical dilemma in there somewhere.
Speaking of Insurance
I should start an insurance company. What an incredible racket. You charge your customers an ever-increasing premium; even if they make no claims their rates go up every year. Then, if they should ever actually make a claim on the insurance, you fight tooth and nail to deny the claim, drop their coverage, or raise their rates to a point where it is unaffordable. I think if I had the discipline to just pay into a fund every year, my own interest baring bank account, instead of paying the damn insurance over the last 20 years – I’d probably be able top pay any medical claim or automobile accident out of my pocket and still have money left over. Of course discipline is the missing ingredient. I’ve never had much of that.
Garbage Collection and The Majors
In New York City, all private businesses are responsible for hiring their own garbage disposal services, and by, the early 1990’s, the mob essentially controlled the entire industry. They had what has been referred top as a garbage cartel. Well a New York City police officer ended up infiltrating the mob almost by accident, and his investigation and the ensuing evidence that he turned up completely disintegrated the mob and their garbage cartel. As a result of competition being renewed in an industry that had been monopolized, businesses in New York enjoyed a 40% reduction in the price of private garbage collection. This was because suddenly there were a number of small businesses all competing with one another for the collection contracts.
Then a handful of massive, nationwide garbage services came in and bought up all the small private garbage collection businesses. Then, once those companies had firm control of the industry, they jacked their prices. The 40% savings businesses had been experiencing evaporated. Prices are now as high as they were when the mob ran the industry.
The mob guys refer to the themselves as “the Boys,” and they refer to the corporations as “the Majors.” It sounds to me like a term of respect.
madbob@madbob.com
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