Obamacare Going Down?

[PanzerJaeger]

EDIT: I am not asking for government control of hospitals and doctor's pay, I just want a government insurance agency that applies to everyone that is able to bring down costs by being able to negotiate with hospitals with its leverage.

This, like eliminating insurance industry profits, digitizing medical records, tort reform, and selling insurance across state lines, would amount to only negligible savings. Even adding all of those together and assuming maximum efficiencies, they would still only make a dent in the significant cost overruns the American system experiences in comparison to other developed nations.

The truth is that the vast majority of healthcare spending in the US is end of life care. It is incredibly expensive to keep people alive who should be dead. The Left is afraid to admit that Sarah Palin was essentially correct. To truly bring America's healthcare costs in line with other nations in a government run system, some higher authority (i.e. death panels) will have to step in and make decisions about what is and is not appropriate end of life care. Left up to families and/or individuals, most people will opt to live as long as possible, especially if insurance is footing the bill.

Now, of course, Palin was trying to invoke an Orwellian emotional reaction for political gain. It would be nice, though, if politicians would acknowledge the essential fact that under a socialized system people's lives would necessarily have to be weighed against a budget instead of acting like the healthcare issue can be solved through the elimination of waste, fraud, and abuse.