A Public Plan

First get the facts straight, then you can distort them as you please. - Mark Twain

There are folks who will distort what health care reform is about, with or without the facts.

President Obama's goals for health care reform are:

1. Reduce costs — Rising health care costs are crushing the budgets of governments, businesses, individuals, and families, and they must be brought under control

2. Guarantee choice — Every American must have the freedom to choose their plan and doctor – including the choice of a public insurance option

3. Ensure quality care for all — All Americans must have quality and affordable health care

Remember nothing from this blog but these three goals, above.

Here are some other facts: 1) 68 to 88 percent of Americans strongly support or support health reform; 2) Between 45 million and 50 million Americans lack health insurance; 3) Annually between 18,000 and 20,000 Americans die because they don't have health insurance; 4) Medical bills force over half of all personal bankruptcies; 5) The United States is the only industrialized nation without a public policy.

The health care industry (hospitals and doctors), the pharmaceutical industry and the insurance industry are lobbying against health reform and a public plan. Of course, the Republicans were against Medicare and Medicaid when those were first introduced and they will certainly be against anything that President Obama proposes.

Finally, I personally think that my illnesses and infirmities should not be the profit motivation for these industries. I think doctors, hospitals and pharmaceuticals should either keep me in good health, or to restore me to health when I am ill. The reason for insurance is to spread the risk for its members -- that's basically what insurance is. I think all three industries could do better. But they won't without new governmental standards.