Health Care Crisis in America!!!

I had intended to spend some time in this issue writing about Health Care Reform and the Medicare Crisis. I do have lots of thoughts on these subjects, and I believe that they are really one issue that needs to be addressed soon, and in a cooperative forum from Congress, the health care industry, the insurance industry and a public consortium.
However, I am not sure it is possible for Congress to do anything in a bi-partisan manner. Any time an issue comes before Congress, it seems that the first reaction from the members is, “What do my constituents think of it?” and “Which side of the aisle is proposing this?”
In “Star Trek, The Wrath of Khan”, as he is dying, Spock says, “Don’t grieve, Admiral. It is logical. The needs of many outweigh the needs of a few.”
Maybe it is time for our Congress to start thinking of the needs of many.
The health care industry is not so concerned these times with the Hippocratic Oath as the bottom line. For decades physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and medical suppliers have been given a blank check by Medicare and the insurance industry. Now that the government and the insurance industry are trying to reign in these escalating costs, the health care industry is claiming it can’t survive without the huge profit margin.
The insurance industry might be the biggest impediment to a sensible solution. For the past 31 years, I have made my living as an insurance professional, but I sometimes am amazed at the audacity of my own industry to resist any sensible efforts at reform that do not allow them to play a huge roll, and maintain the outrageous profit margins that they now enjoy.
One barometer of an insurance company’s financial stability is its “Surplus”. That is the percentage of its total assets above the company’s reserve (claims paying funds). If the reserve fund shrinks to an unstable level, the insurance company must dip into the “surplus” to stabilize it. Basically all companies have something similar to a surplus fund (if they are profitable), and some analysts feel that it is the truest measure of a company’s net worth. For the insurance industry a good surplus to asset ratio is about 10 to 15 percent. I know of a couple of companies that have in excess of a 50 percent ratio. And they are not even the largest or best known in the industry. It is understood that we do not want any financial institution to be operating in a less than profitable situation, but 50 percent is outrageous.
Finally, that leaves the public consortium. “If it is to be, it is up to me.” Perhaps it is time to rephrase Thomas Smith’s title. How about, “If it is to be, it is up to us.” I know, it doesn’t rhyme, but it does make sense. Unless we can get together as a public and work out a solution, then our whole health care distribution system is in eminent danger.
I have some ideas on what could be done, and I’m sure that many of you also have some thoughts. For my next issue, I intend to write my suggestions. I would also like to hear from you. Let me know what you think needs to be done, and I will publish the best ideas from my readers.
I had intended to add each of the Colorado members of Congress and the Colorado State legislature to my email list. However, the only way to send them messages is by going through their web sites, so I am working on another way to get these suggestions to them.
If you are not in Colorado, I would still love to hear from you, as this is a “National Crisis.” If you send me an email and would like me to add your Congressional representatives and Senators (state and Federal), try to find their email addresses and I will add them to the list.
I would love to hear from you. Together, maybe we can have an impact. One certain thing is that by doing nothing, we will be stuck with a program that is not in the best interest of all of us.
"Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on his worth and merits as a man. We must see that each is given a square deal, because he is entitled to no more and should receive no less." "The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us." (Teddy Roosevelt)