The Health Care Debate: Truth, Lies, or Political Malice?

For months now, right wing conservatives and blue dog Democrats alike have been working overtime trying to convince the American people that President Obama's plan for health care reform is a risky experiment that could bankrupt the country and endanger the doctor patient relationship. They say it's too much, too soon and we should slow down and consider "sensible alternatives."

So far, those sensible alternatives have not been forthcoming, but lots and lots of rhetoric has.

I would like to address some of these "talking points."

HEALTH CARE SHOULD REMAIN BETWEEN A DOCTOR AND THE PATIENT

Health care opponents would like you to conjure up the Norman Rockwell image of the kindly doctor listening thoughtfully while he examines his patient with a stethoscope.

They contend that if the government takes over health care some bureaucrat with a clipboard full of rules and regulations would be placed between you and your doctor, and that person will make all your decisions concerning your health care options.

Perhaps, because most of these nay-sayers are covered by the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, they are not aware that HMO's are doing exactly that!

An HMO is a type of managed care organization (MCO) whose doctors have agreed to treat patients in accordance with the HMO's guidelines and restrictions.

HMO members are required choose to a primary care physician (PCP) who, outside of a medical emergency, must issue a referral to the member in order for them to see a specialist or other doctor. Referrals, however, must be deemed necessary in accordance to the HMO's guidelines. If they are not, you can be denied coverage for any number of reasons, from nebulous "preexisting conditions" to the fact that it's going to cost a lot of money to keep you alive.

GOVERNMENT SPONSORED HEALTH CARE IS SOCIALISM

Yes, it is! So is Medicare, Medicaid, the Military Health System and Veterans Affairs, State Children's Health Insurance Programs ( SCHIP), TRICARE, Indian Health Service, and yes, (gasp!) the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

AMERICA HAS THE BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE WORLD

Actually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (Remember them from the Swine Flu pandemic? They'll be back with that in the fall in case you missed it.) The United States is ranked at number 37, right between Costa Rica and Slovenia (http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html).

Granted, WHO stopped compiling this list in 2000 because of the complexity of the task, so it is technically possible that our ranking could have improved and we are now breathing down the neck of Morocco (#29), but given our current dismal health care statistics, I doubt it.

GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED HEALTH CARE WILL PUT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES OUT OF BUSINESS

Even though I would be very happy to see those blood -suckers go down in flames, it won't happen. They will, for the most part, like all good capitalists institutions, evolve to compete.

I do, however, think that many politicians really do have legitimate concerns over the fate of the health insurance and pharmaceutical companies because they play such an important role in donating to their campaigns. But don't take my word for it. Check out who's donating to whom at http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php or http://maplight.org/map/us

THEY JUST HAVE OUR BEST INTEREST AT HEART

This week, the health care debate escalated to a health care war. South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint threw down the gauntlet when he said of the health care issue, "If we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."

At last the truth is out. The conservatives are finally admitting that they don't really care about 45.7 million Americans who have no health care insurance. They care about "getting" Obama.

If the Obama administration were to pass a health care bill that gave coverage to all Americans, got rid of the pre-existing conditions clause, and started reforming the way medical facilities function, there would be a lot of very happy people who thought he had done something really good and that would be very bad for them.

Watching today's news, it now looks like there may not be a vote on the health care issue before congress recesses for summer. If that is the case, you can expect the rhetoric to ratchet up over the next month. The health insurance and pharmaceutical companies have deep pockets and the conservatives smell blood. It's going to get pretty ugly, so put on your waders and check out http://mediamatters.org/ to help sort the wheat from the chaff.

You can also take this as an opportunity to raise a ruckus and make your voice heard. Call your representatives (http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/index.html) and let them know that you think it's very nice that they can afford to take a month off, and you hope they enjoy their vacation, but they damn well better be prepared to get a health care bill passed when they get back. I know e-mailing is easier and by all means do it if you want, but phone calls make a bigger impression when they tie up lines and staffers.

Health care reform was one of the biggest issues of the last election. Promises were made that got these folks elected. Hold them to those promises and remind them that mid term elections are coming up real soon.