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Opinion: Man In The Middle Journal – “Where Mind Meets Mouth, Unrestrained” SUBJECT: HEALTH CARE
Mr. Obama called it “a historic day, a watershed event,” hosting a meeting at the White House between himself and the six leaders of the health care industry in a demonstration of their support for his health reform package. In my book, it was just another day in the ’spin city’ politics of Mr. Obama. Now that their Republican protection policy has run out, the big six are looking for a new protector, and who better but than the President himself? If Mr. Obama believes the industry is going to voluntarily reduce costs and cap expenditures, then the president is not the astute student of history he portrays himself to be.
Henry J. Aaron, a health economist at the Brookings Institution, said that when he heard the industry’s promises on Monday, “I had a Rip van Winkle moment, as if I had fallen asleep in 1977 and woke up again this morning.” Mr. Aaron served in the administration of President Jimmy Carter, whose proposal for hospital cost controls prompted the industry to undertake a short-lived “voluntary effort.” I call it placating the boss.
The health care industry and their lobbyists are smart. Hilary Clinton’s reform package crashed and burned because she threatened to take a sledgehammer to their industry. Mr Obama is the ‘wooer’, he wants to charm everyone even if that means inviting the vipers in the front door. He may honestly believe logic and a deep sense of humanity and passion will persuade the big six that ‘altruism over profits’ is the route to redemption, but I think we should be more realistic about promises from big business. Either way, the White House conference, was a PR win for everyone and succeed in distracting us from the major issues, namely Afghanistan, our ever mounting debt and the financial crisis. And the best part (it’s claimed) is American will save up to $2 trillion dollars. Of course the details of those savings are vague and how they arrived at that figure is even more of a mystery, but heck, CNN predicts American’s will start feeling those savings in year 5 of Mr. Obama’s 10 year plan. Cannot wait!
Let’s be clear, this country needs health care reform. Every American should be entitled to comprehensive medical coverage and the best care possible, but let’s tackle the biggest problem first, namely the cost of drugs. Ask any single mother or anyone over the age of 55, and they will tell you their biggest expense is medicine. 46% of Americans take at least one prescription drug. If the administration really wants to get serious, let’s bring the pharmaceutical companies up to the hill and put them before a congressional committee to discuss their windfall profits. While Americans are taking a hit, the drug companies have continued their reign as the most profitable industry in the annual Fortune 500 list. Can you imagine how much money we can put back into the economy if 46% of the nation was able to save between $5.00 to $30.00 a month on medicine?
Mr. President, congratulations on your big Monday powwow and I want you to succeed, but don’t be taken in by the jackals whom you shared a photo op with, they’ll water down your efforts and figure out a way to make bigger profits in the bargain. Americans need immediate help, negotiating (exactly what Wal-Mart has been doing the past year) with the drug industry and establishing a fair base price for medicine is the best place to start any health care program.
