We Cannot Afford to Derail Healthcare Reform

Unfortunately for America, it is starting to look like there is no cure for what ails our healthcare system for misinformation about healthcare reform is, of late, being shouted too loudly and too often. Those who shout the loudest are scaring the 'bleet' out of a lot of people and from this base of misinformation these poor sod are filtering the remaining information that they receive through that prism, resulting in a conclusion that is so far from the truth their opinion has to be dismissed as buffoonery. Oh wait, this is what passes for news lately, no matter the issue.

I think there ought to be a law against news channels proselytizing or at least against failing to properly characterize much of their content as opinion and not news. It is simply unconscionable that 24 hour news is essentially 24 hour opinion and blatantly inaccurate information is never challenged but repeated and commented upon ad nauseum. I just can't stand it anymore. Oh lordy, I sound like Sarah Palin blaming the media. Maybe she does have a point, well if you can find it.

Anyhow, in my little suburban world, I am surrounded by a multitude of confused humans who do not have the objectivity or fortitude to dismiss most of what they've heard as over-hyped bunk; they are starting to believe that the healthcare plan is a monster not to be reckoned with. Many are losing sight of the basic facts, healthcare costs have increased 120% since 2000 and during that time millions of people have lost their insurance. Also, in this new world of transient and vanishing employment, employer-based healthcare can no longer be the standard by which the majority of Americans have access to coverage. It was good while it lasted and while it is still good for those employed by or elected to the public sector, it is no longer good and in many cases no longer available for many of us who dwell in the private sector.

There are two undeniable aspects of healthcare coverage that need to be addressed: we have to control costs and we have to increase access for the nearly 50,000,000 Americans who are currently uninsured. Period. We all must fundamentally agree on these aspects to quell the head-in-the-sand dwellers and their incendiary anti-reform rhetoric. We definitely have to quell the irrational fear of socialized medicine as if medicaid and medicare do not exist. How about some news organization actually telling us about the proposals that are on the table?

What about the following potential solutions? Perhaps we can just expand medicaid and/or medicare to cover those who have no other coverage. Perhaps we can negotiate drug costs with the pharmaceutical companies. Perhaps we can regulate employer-based premiums and healthcare deductibles so as not exceed a certain percentage of income. Perhaps we can focus on a wellness approach to care rather than being sent to a disjointed group of specialists who do not communicate and end up repeating or ordering unnecessary tests.

There are a myriad of ways to solve our healthcare debacle and unfortunately we have to trust Congress, surrounded by lobbyists, to fix it. However, let us hope Democracy works and they find a good solution. Whatever the case, we cannot afford to defeat any attempt to reform the system because of ignorance and/or fear.