What are you so scared of?

What are health care insurers so afraid of? Are they afraid of socialism or are they afraid of capitalism? One of the three top priorities of the Obama administration is to bring health care reform to the United States. Insurance, pharmaceutical, and general health care costs are out of control and costing the country and the consumer billions annually. Along with increased efficiency through electronic record keeping and medical infrastructure improvements, Obama wants to offer public plans for citizens to purchase through the Government. The American Hospital Association and the lobbying firm, America’s Health Insurance Plans, have offered their support for reigning in health care costs. However, lobbyists are at work to persuade Congress to not allow for the public plans. Blue Cross and Blue Shield has begun to re-use Harry and Louise style ads to scare the public into thinking that Government run health care would be disastrous. Harry and Louise ads from the Clinton era told the public that Government health care would result in immovable patient lines and the Government telling the patient which doctors they can see. Contemporary insurance providers could run the attack ads against themselves for denying coverage for certain procedures, disgustingly confusing bureaucracy, and stipulated covered doctor.

Are health care insurers trying to protect the people from socialism or are they trying to protect themselves from capitalism. First and foremost, the Government will not be nationalizing current health care insurers nor controlling health care decisions. The current providers are on-board with Government assistance to control prices and increase efficiency but they are not comfortable with Government insurance plans. They aren’t legitimately sacred of socialism.

Health care insurers are scared of capitalism. The private sector fears their possible lack of capabilities to compete with a Government run insurance plan. The proposed Government actions are expected to lower all private insurance plans as well as provide for tax breaks to employers who provide private health care to employees. These should help BRING consumers to the private insurers. Lower insurance costs should also soften the blow of a likely increase in taxes to pay for this and other programs. It can be assumed that private costs will be more expensive than Government plans; however, the private should have nothing to worry about if they feel they can provide superior coverage as they insinuate in their TV ads. Those who are currently happy with their providers will most likely not switch to the public plans.

The proposed actions provide another option for Americans, specifically those who need something more practical for their financial situations. Current insurance providers will not be controlled by the Government and they will be open to internal change to compete with the Government plans. If they cannot compete in price, they can compete in quality. Are they afraid that Government health care will actually be well run and no one would want private insurance any more? As long as the people have a choice, this is capitalism. Capitalism is a legitimate fear if you are on the losing end, but they have no one to blame but themselves.