Sasquatch Care

  • by: |
  • 02/26/2009

According to a story in today’s Washington Post, “President Obama is proposing to begin a vast expansion of the U.S. health-care system by creating a $634 billion reserve fund over the next decade, launching an overhaul that most experts project will ultimately cost at least $1 trillion.”

Key words, “vast expansion.”  That means a “vast expansion” of the medical practice of Uncle Sam, MD.

And, says House domestic policy adviser Melody C. Barnes, “It serves as a footprint for something bigger."

The complete Washington Post story can be found here.

The AP reports that, “The health care provisions are meant to start a dialogue with Congress over how to provide coverage for an estimated 48 million uninsured.”

Um, there’s some double counting going on here.  First of all, what about the 4.1 million person expansion of SCHIP (funded through a 61-cent increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco) and the 12 million Americans who already qualify for government benefits – but haven’t signed up for them.  That’s 16.1 millions worth of double counting.

And then there’s the thorny issue of counting 10 million uninsured illegal aliens as part of the 48 million.  If there’s raucous contention over allowing illegals to have New York State drivers’ licenses – you can’t expect acquiescence on the issue of providing this group healthcare paid for by the American tax payer.

What is the President’s position on this issue? Enquiring minds want to know.

So, 4.1 million + 12 million + 10 million = 26.1 millionThat leaves us with 22 million.

Of the remaining 22 million uninsured, there are many millions of Americans (many of them between the ages of 18-25) who opt not to buy health insurance even though they could afford to do so.  Some estimate this cohort to be as large as 20 million. But let’s say, for matter of discussion, that it’s only half that.

Pull out your calculators:  4.1 million via expanded SCHIP + 12 million already eligible for government programs but not signed up + 10 million illegal aliens, + 10 million Americans “opting out” = 32 million.

That leaves 16 million Americans who make too much to receive government benefits and too little to afford private coverage. 16 million divided by the President’s “down payment” of $634 billion is $39,625 per person.

(And this isn't counting the unemployment insurance-eligible Americans and their families who now qualify for government benefits as part of their unemployment benefits.)

This is a footprint for “something bigger?”

Maybe we should call it “Sasquatch Care.”

CMPI

Center for Medicine in the Public Interest is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization promoting innovative solutions that advance medical progress, reduce health disparities, extend life and make health care more affordable, preventive and patient-centered. CMPI also provides the public, policymakers and the media a reliable source of independent scientific analysis on issues ranging from personalized medicine, food and drug safety, health care reform and comparative effectiveness.

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