Can We Think?

So. I've been listening to and reading about quite a bit of consternation regarding changes in insurance policies. Everybody seems to be having changes in their health insurance policies. Even my really good insurance is changing some and I've had to carefully crunch some numbers to try to figure out what will work best for me.

And I'm hearing a lot of wailing and blame tossing going around about it.

So let's all try to step back from our emotional fear reaction to change and take a deep breath and think.

The insurance industry spent more money lobbying against health care reform than it would have cost to provide coverage for every uninsured American for a year.

Why would they do that?

Could it be that the reforms the president was proposing were going to cost them so much money that the amount they spent on lobbyists was only a drop in the bucket?

People are blaming Obama for the changes that have been showing up here recently.

Why? If anything, it is the fault of those who obstructed the reforms and forced concessions.

What? Okay. Remember Air Tran? Remember how every other airline in Charleston managed to drastically cut airfare and still stay in business? Because they had to compete with Air Tran? Then remember when Air Tran left Charleston? And all the other airlines immediately raised their prices sky high for no reason other than Air Tran was gone?

Okay? So, the public health insurance option was to insurance companies what Air Tran was to other airlines.

And many of the reforms were not implemented right away, but give the insurance industry four years until put into place.

And they are raising their prices, cutting their services and shoving more on to the policyholder for two reasons:

1) They can. So they are. Grubbing up every penny they can while they can.

2) They know they are on borrowed time so they are screwing you to make you mad, to make you complain, to make you vote for anyone who says they will repeal the reforms. Because repealing health insurance reform is in their best interests.

Because then they can go back to charging whatever they want, whenever they want, canceling whoever they want and keeping anyone with any medical condition hostage to their provider.

Be very wary of this, people. You are being manipulated.

Thor sez: Does this mean no more vet visits?