No Imagination

I have been noticing that supporters of the Obamacare law repeat a consistent theme promoting a message that Federalizing healthcare is the only viable means of making it available to everyone.

To the degree those promoting that point of view are not the power-hungry bureacrats who lust after the power and weath the law promises them individually, it seems the only way to explain support for such a totalitarian approach to healthcare is a thorough lack of imagination.

States already have programs in place that allow those who can't buy health insurance in the private market to sign up for the State subsidized high risk plan. Not to mention the fact nearly all of us understand, which is that hospitals must provide emergency treatment for all who show up regardless of ability to pay.

Imagine for a moment that tomorrow the Federal and State governments made the announcement, "Our Medicare and Medicaid programs are bankrupt. Everyone from now on must find non-governmental solutions to pay for their own healthcare."

What would we do? Would millions of people die because no Doctor will treat their illnesses or perform lifesaving surgery?

Of course not. Americans would pitch in and find solutions on our own. Employers unencumbered by government regulation would design great new healthcare plans for their workers. Families would find a way to help their loved ones get the treatments or surgeries they need. Doctors and surgeons would offer payment plans and reduced rates to patients to help them cover their treatment costs. Drug companies would implement programs to help make their prescriptions more affordable for the poor.

The Left's been arguing that the Supreme Court can't overturn Obamacare as unconstitutional, because if they do, similar arguments could be used to overturn Medicare and Medicaid, which also mandate redistribution or wealth to cover seniors and the poor for their health care.

My suggestion is that we begin using our imagination and unleash our natural American predisposition toward helping those who truly need help. As individuals, churches, charitable organizations, companies ...

Imagine there was no such thing as government healthcare, but we all truly worked together as Americans to solve the problem by ourselves. Imagine doctors didn't get sued for millions every time an outcome was less than ideal, but instead were subjected to a medical practice review if suspicion of malpractice is provable and lost their license instead of having their insurer pay the complainant enough money to go away.

Imagine office visits that cost $30-$50 instead of $150. Imagine prescription costs for seniors at less than $50 per month instead of $500 per month. Imagine blood and urine testing costing $25 instead of $100. Imagine surgery costing $5,000 instead of $50,000.

I believe all this is possible if we all just imagine healthcare without the interference of Barack Obama and Kathleen Sebelius.