The tension is soaring over health care reform–not surprising since we're restructuring one-sixth of the U.S. economy. Thousands of jobs are at stake–including many in the insurance business, which is absorbing the brunt of the blows from President Obama and his allies in Congress.
It's not surprising the rhetoric is growing more alarming by the day. How might cooler heads prevail? By 
dealing with facts!
For one, I was shocked to learn that after all of President Obama's talk about the crisis in health care, none of the key elements of House reform legislation would take effect for years!
I doubt many are aware the launch of a public health plan, imposition of employer and individual coverage mandates (as well as penalties for those who do not willingly buy in), and bans on discriminating against those with pre-existing conditions would not kick in until 2013!
Where is the public and media outrage? What happens to the 45-plus million without coverage until then? And what about the millions more likely to lose their insurance due to a layoff or preexisting condition?
At least the delay should derail critics who insist we cannot afford to pass reforms this year because mandates would undermine our economic recovery, since the current recession is likely to be ancient history by 2013.
Meanwhile, I can't take seriously anyone who complains about mandates–whether on employers or workers–to buy health insurance.
Despite all the blathering about how "The Government" should not be mandating us to do (or pay for) anything, the fact is we already must pay lots of fees for our own (and society's) good. Consider automatic payroll deductions for Social Security, Medicare, unemployment and disability benefits. Shall we blow those off and allow Social Darwinism to prevail?
As for the insurance industry, I don't recall hearing a peep of protest about state mandates that drivers carry auto insurance and that employers cover their people with workers' comp. Are you ready to let the free market decide those buying decisions?
Indeed, insurers and their agents should be the ones shouting for health insurance mandates, since millions of potential prospects would be created overnight!
Frankly, my biggest concern is that the proposed employer penalty for failing to provide health insurance–8 percent of payroll–might be too small! Most pay more than that to fund their current plans, and might be very tempted to just fork over the fee and leave their workers to the not-so-tender mercies of the individual health insurance market.
Last but not least, critics of the government option being pushed by President Obama and his supporters insist this will lead to a single-payer plan. They warn we will all end up like those poor souls in Canada, France, Great Britain, etc., who are said to wait endlessly for critical tests or procedures, or are abandoned if they're too old and sick for the government to care.
But since these are all democracies, why haven't voters revolted and elected politicians who will restore a supposedly superior private health insurance system?
Readers have already come after me as I've posted these counterarguments on my blog. I'm eager to hear more from you on these crucial controversies in the battle to reform how health care is provided and financed, so that millions are not left uninsured in the richest country on Earth.
Would we really be better off doing nothing? If not, what should we change?
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.