Last month a friend of mine spent one day in Hennepin County Medical Center. He is a chronic alcoholic and he goes to the emergency room about once a week, sometimes more often. He is on Medicare, government insurance. He uses the government hospital — HCMC. Here is his bill for one day in the hospital, general care.
Who pays this bill? Why the taxpayers of Minnesota of course! How is health care reform going to solve this problem. Look at this bill. The room cost $1,356 for one night. The emergency room visit before he was admitted cost $905. The pharmacy and IV cost $1,895 for one day. Lab work cost another $950. What were they pumping into his veins? Gold?
How is the government taking over the health care industry going to improve care or reduce costs? Most of the people I know either have no insurance or are on medical assistance or medicaid. They use the emergency room for all their health care needs. It doesn’t cost them a penny. It costs the taxpayers plenty.
I don’t have medical insurance. I can’t afford it. If the government forces me to buy health insurance I won’t be able to afford my YWCA membership, or vacations. Isn’t it my right to choose how I spend my money? Forcing me to buy insurance doesn’t increase my income. It just moves money from where I want to spent it — on my YWCA membership, to where I don’t want to spend it — health insurance.
I don’t like going to the doctor. I tough it out if I get sick. Over the last 10 years I’ve been to the doctor three times: once for stitches, once when I hurt my back, and once when I got bit by a wood tick. I paid out of my own pocket. Isn’t this my right?
I’m all for reducing health care costs and reigning in drug and insurance companies. But government takeover of these industries is not going to reduce costs. I believe it will increase them.
