AlterNet: No One's Falling for Big Health's Bogus Promise to "Reform"

No One's Falling for Big Health's Bogus Promise to "Reform"

By Joshua Holland, AlterNet. Posted May 13, 2009.

Corporate Dems are fawning over the industry's "promise" to hold down costs. A broad progressive coalition is pushing for a real solution.



This week, the health care lobby scored a cunning propaganda victory by feigning interest in fixing the perennial rip-off we call a health care system.

With much fanfare, Big Health trotted out a six-month old "promise" -- a toothless, non-binding pledge lacking any specifics -- to make various nips and tucks that would slow the rate at which health costs grow to "only" 4.7 percent annually. It was hailed by the Obama administration and many observers as a breakthrough in the battle for reform.

Until recently, the health care industry has been dead-set on preserving a disastrous but profitable status quo (The U.S. spends close to twice as much per person on care than other wealthy countries, and gets consistently poorer results; among residents of 30 rich countries polled by Gallup, Americans came in 18th in terms of satisfaction with their care). But now the "disease care" industry is portraying itself as an agent of change. Fearful of a growing movement towards real, substantive reform, it's trying to co-opt the process under the guise of "getting a seat at the table." That they've given up, for now, their oppositional stance is what has so many tongues wagging about the significance of the proposal.

But it's nothing new -- "voluntary" codes of conduct, self-regulation and industry-driven initiatives for the private sector to address complex policy issues have long been a standard tactic for heading off real regulation and deeper systemic reforms. The Brookings' Institution's Henry Aaron, a former official in the Carter administration told the New York Times that when he heard of the proposal, "I had a Rip van Winkle moment, as if I had fallen asleep in 1977 and woke up again this morning.” According to the Times, Carter's pledge to do something about out-of-control health care costs "prompted the industry to undertake a short-lived 'voluntary effort.'” The growth of health care costs also slowed briefly after Bill Clinton's failed attempt to fix the system.

But while the industry's proposal is light on substance, it is a game-changer to some degree. Instead of simply opposing reform, which is a more dangerous proposition today -- with 47 million uninsured and health care eating up 17 percent of the country's economic output -- than it was when Clinton mounted his fight, Big Health is trying to kill the most important and progressive elements of Obama's promised reforms from the inside -- from its "seat at the table." ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/139986/no_one%27s_falling_for_big_health%27s_bogus_promise_to_%22reform%22_/

They opened their mouths, so let's see what they come up with.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/05/66698093/1

things like unified billing, where you get a single, composite bill for all your services instead of a separate bill from each provider and institution and laboratory.

that's exactly the classic kind of redundant cost-cutting that the private sector does ruthlessly on its own. so "promising" to do this is like wal-mart "promising" to beat up on their suppliers to cut their costs. duh, they're gonna do that anyway!

With momentum appearing to grow for a healthcare overhaul, President Obama is calling once again on his grassroots army to push Congress over the finish line this year.

Obama's backers received an email appeal overnight to sign an online declaration of support for his Obama's core principles: reduce costs, guarantee choice, and ensure all Americans have quality, affordable healthcare.

Mitch Stewart, director of Organizing for America, noted that on Monday healthcare industry leaders offered to cut costs by $2 trillion over 10 years.

"The health care crisis is not new, but it's getting worse," Stewart wrote the 17 million supporters. "For decades, real health care reform has been blocked by special interest lobbying and political point-scoring. We simply cannot go any further down this dangerous road of delay and denial. But we don't have to.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/05/obama_rallies_g.html

So, the ONLY way universal coverage would be more expensive than what we now have would be if we had over 175 million not currently covered, instead of the 47 million currently without health coverage. Sounds to me we'd save a couple hundred million - immediately - simply by cutting out the middleman.

Why save $2 Trillion on future cost increases, when we could save the same $2 Trillion off current costs within three or four years by getting off the for-profit misery-go-round?

Where are the teabaggers? Even they're not so stupid that they can't understand this argument, especially given their average age and health issues. Given the stunning silence on the issue, you'd think nobody with an (R) had ever been denied coverage or had any other classic complaint about their insurance. Or is it that they're so afraid of someone else (yeah, it's always about the brown peoples) getting something for free, that they're willing to sacrifice their own care and financial future?

It's time for a non-profit health care system.