Bush Healthcare Plan Is Nonsense

Last week on TV news, I heard the fact that more than half of all bankruptcies in this country are caused by medical problems. Even worse, over 2/3 of these families actually had health insurance when the medical problem was discovered. Doesn't paint a very good picture of healthcare in America does it?

If you are rich, I can understand you believing that America has a wonderful medical system. After all, you can afford the best care no matter what it costs. But for the rest of us, including the middle class, that is just not true. We can only afford what our insurance will pay for - and if you've dealt with insurance companies lately, you know that the more expensive your treatment becomes, the more likely your insurance will not cover it, or will delay paying for it until it is too late.

If you are poor or uninsured, then we have one of the world's worst healthcare systems because you simply don't have access to it. You'll find yourself waiting in an overcrowded emergency room for over 12 hours. Then you'll find the doctor has little time for you, and the hospital has no room for you.

Yesterday, Bush said in his radio address that "it is clear both parties recognize that strengthening health care for all Americans is one of our most important responsibilities. I am confident that if we put politics aside, we can find practical ways to improve our private health care system."

Sounds good doesn't it? Bush's promises usually do sound good, but as usual, his solution doesn't live up to his promise. His solution is to make money spent on insurance part of our taxable income - even insurance paid for by an employer. Then he would give us a tax deduction of $7500 for a single person and $15,000 for a family. While this would give those who already purchase their own insurance a new tax break, it would result in higher taxes for 20% of workers who have employer-paid insurance.

For the poor, it would do nothing. For low-paid workers whose employer does not provide insurance, it would also do nothing. All of these people would still be without healthcare coverage. The poor and working class people don't make enough money for a new tax deduction to mean anything.

It might sound as if it would help the middle class, but I don't even believe that is true. It would simply leave them at the mercy of the insurance companies. As soon as a major illness occurs, and their insurance company decides the treatment needed is not covered by their policy, they'll be forced into bankruptcy court (and probably lose that worthless insurance also).

Bush's plan is not a solution - it is just an illusion. There is only one solution and that is national healthcare - a single-payer system run by the government, and covering all citizens. We must take healthcare decisions out of the hands of greedy insurance executives, and put it in the hands of doctors whose payment will be guaranteed by the government.

Call it socialized medicine if you want. Hell, I don't care what you call it. The fact is that it's working in every other developed nation right now. And don't believe the lies told about systems such as Canada's. Just ask anyone in Canada who's not filthy rich. They'll tell you they wouldn't trade their system for ours in a million years.

It's time to stop making promises while failing to live up to them. It's time to institute a national government- controlled healthcare system that covers all American citizens.