Daily News Updates - Health Insurance News

Health Insurance Fear vs. Other Fears, Pt.3 -- Immutable Impasse

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Because of the insurmountable self-defeating relationship between the two integral components, many will search for an attractive medium, which may evolve into a possible conduit past this immutable impasse. The best fit for this would be the health insurance/care for the children. It’s a very popular idea and also economical. The thought is “Let’s get this through the Senate first. If it works, “they’ll” soften their stance on full health insurance/care reform”. There are some caveats here. One is the obstinance the Bush Administration has taken against expanding the already existing SCHIP program (fed-sponsored state-level health insurance/care). If this hard-line stance is entrenched in the Republican Party, even the childrens’ plan this will be a struggle. The second is that, even though this may display that some are willing to try something new, it does little to address the Republican’s very strong resolve to never allow any medical price controls. Those prices will follow the same rules as buying a new car. Either you can afford one, or you can’t. Certainly it would require a very strong movement to overcome this line of reasoning in a capitalist economy.

A third caveat is the thought that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats see S-CHIP as the road to socialized health insurance/care. Despite its popularity, even Medicare hasn't advanced the single-payer movement. In essence it has only removed seniors out of the constituency for reform. The S-CHIP hasn't even been able to successfully expand childrens’ care, never mind the entire health system. Covering children is just for children. There is no major reform here. Furthermore, even if this coverage of children were perceived as "universal” it could backfire, or, at least, diffuse the cry for change. Politicians could posture as if they had made sufficient major progress on the health insurance/care crisis and leave it there. Meanwhile, the system would continue to deteriorate.

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