There is a new viral video that has been circulating around with famous comedians and actors banding together to parody the cause of the private insurance company. Having been on both sides of the fence, I am just appalled by how expensive hence insurance and hospital visits have become.
I don't have the perfect solution to the problem at hand, but it just surprises me to hear about individuals (both people I know and in the news) traveling to other countries to get the same surgeries from just as competent doctors for a fraction of the cost. Many times these same doctors have the same training and even went to the same school as their US counterparts. In a recent trip to the ER, the bill was over $3,000 for two stitches. $1,500 for "facilities" fees and another $1,500 for the 15 minutes the doctor spent closing the small cut.
Doctors aren't the ones making out with the money. With their malpractice insurance climbing, many are barely making a decent living. But health insurance companies, HMO, and medical foundations are making record profits.
I agree with Obama -- there should be a public option. The public option should not be the only option, but a cheaper option that will cause these private insurance companies to get off their feet and actually become more competitive with their offerings and pricing. My hope is that this will take the place of more government regulations on the industry.
This debate has become a screaming match of "he said, she said" on Capital Hill. I heard a short "Perspective" from NPR this morning on my way to work from a SF Real Estate Developer that said it best, "We should not be assuming what the others on the opposite political spectrum are thinking, and what their motivations are. That will not get us anywhere. We should be working together to find a common solution for the common good."
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