Clearly, the cost of the program is a huge obstacle for O-Care. It was poorly thought out and the Dems used Jedi mind-tricks to get the accounting to say what they wanted.
However, what I think will be even more of an issue is how this law will affect the medical profession. Specifically, now that the SCOTUS has confirmed that it is a RIGHT for every American to have government-mandated healthcare, every doctor and nurse in the country have effectively become captured laborers (or put another way - slaves) by virtue of their profession.
Functionally, by confirming O-Care as a 'right', the SCOTUS has created the concept that one man has the 'right' of another person's labor. In a very real way the supplier of the labor has become sub-servant to the consumer.
There is no difference whether the collectivist is demanding his "right" to health care, a job, a house, or high speed internet–all of these are "rights," according to today's Left. Moreover, in order for the government to supply all of these 'rights' they will have to infringe on the rights of others and force them to provide these services to the rest of the country.
This is what scares me even more than the untenable cost of this program. Once the government can take away someone's rights to their own labor we have become little more than the Soviet Union light.
This ruling has now put 30 million more people in the market (increasing demand) without a corresponding increase in either price or supply. The point here is that by artificially gaming the market, the government has put the medical industry in a position where demand will go through the roof. In an efficient market price would have to go up and the market would find equilibrium again. But in this case, the government has artificially capped price, forcing the profession to take on greater demand without compensation.
It is this market inefficiency that will ultimately kill Obamacare from the inside out. Why? Well who will want to become doctors in the future? Or as in the UK, will we have to import our medical professionals from India? the Middle East? Africa? Further, since it is now a 'right' can the government force qualified physicians to practice medicine? Scary indeed.
My hope is that the medical profession and like minded candidates will effectively message this to the electorate before November. We are still a right-center country and most Americans would find this way of doing business appalling.
Exit question: Where is that John Galt fellow?
Since the country can't afford the crap we give away now how are they going to afford this underfunded BS, without going bankrupt. The clowns ruling this country are handing the keys over to China or Russia or whoever wants it. We are done as a country and Nero has tuned his fiddle.
ReplyDeleteQuit being so cheerful, you'll only encourage the Democrats to give it away quicker!
DeleteHehe - Good one Anon..
DeleteWhile I'm dead set against Obamacare...I do question your logic.
ReplyDeleteHow is it that doctors are compelled to do anything? Doctors can treat who they wish. They already are compelled by PRIVATE insurance companies whose clients they wish to deal with...to charge agreed upon rates. They only have so many hours in the day and need not take on any more patients.
What WILL occur is a shortage of doctors...because med schools already produce more graduates than the hospital can provide jobs for as interns! The demand for more doctors cannot be met with more schools and lower standards. And the applicant quality must decline as limited pay opportunity will dictate that the best and the brightest make other career choices that do not involve a $500k up-front investment with LIMITED potential to recoup.
We will get what the market dictates...but it is not accurate to say that "the government has artificially capped price, forcing the profession to take on greater demand without compensation." The government has capped price for its' clients just as insurance companies have done for theirs. Doctors never see a patient without compensation THEY HAVE AGREED TO...and no one DEMANDS they take on more patients.
Anon - thanks for the comment. Here's where it falls out of bed. The Dr. accepting patients with medicare are dwindling due to set prices and slow payment. Do you think this will get any better? My Dr. friends are furious over this and many older Dr.s are going to retire. Also what will creep up is black market services. This is already happening in the UK where patients will go to a Dr. after hours and pay out of pocket for services.
DeleteLastly my point about compelling Doctors to work is that the SCOTUS has effectively said that Healthcare is now a right. Just like any other right those who perform the service are now constitutionally obliged to do it.
My Kaiser doctor left the profession last year because he saw this very situation coming down the pike. He'd already paid off his educational loans and figured he'd do something more rewarding.
DeleteAnon - unintended consequences, when will the Dems learn that when they start mucking with efficient markets it always comes back to bite them in the tukis?
DeleteI live in Los Angeles and I can tell you that they are already importing all doctors from outside the US. For me the biggest problem is that insurance builds a wall between you and your doctor. I have a 2k deductible and when I go to the doctor, he bills the insurance not me. The insurance then turns around and bills me. I called the doctor to confirm the charge and the office staff would not tell me citing the insurer prohibits them from payment disclosure. They will tell me what the charge was but not what the payment was. I have a co-worker whose husband is a cadiologist. They are paid roughly 1/3 what they bill. So did my insurance allow me the deductable amount of the charge or of the payment?
ReplyDeleteAnon - damn good question. let me check into this - i feel another post coming here.
DeleteIt takes 8-10 years to make a doctor. If they start to walk it will look like the post office at Christmas just trying to get a government mandated yearly physical.
ReplyDeleteAnon - it only took you 20 or so words what took me 600 to say. Thanks for your comment
DeleteA bigger problem to my mind is the doctor who can't leave due to huge college loan debt. Indentured servants are not the most caring people. The Lib's are changing the prior arrangements we as a society agreed to-all because they know better.
DeleteI have worked in health care since 1979. I have never felt this level of cynical manipulation by the apparatchik's of progressivism before. They simply do not care about anyone's valid concerns because they must accomplish "The Dreams of their Fathers."
Anon - thanks for the comment. Let me ask you a question - what are your thoughts about your future. What happens when (since healthcare is now a constitutional right) you are asked to take a pay cut due to the exploding cost and additional millions now on the healthcare rolls?
DeleteFurther, if you would like to make this a blog I'd be glad to publish it here at 6079. I'd love to have an insider perspective.
Thanks again for dropping by.
I'm a physician, and I can tell you that we're already importing our medical professionals from overseas. Go to any hospital and look at the docs on the floors. Overwhelmingly foreign. The government has already dealt a crippling blow to health care over the past 20 years with ever increasing regulations and unfunded mandates. Obamacare will be the finishing blow.
ReplyDeleteDr. Talenti thank you for your comment and insight. However I must warn you we (meaning me) at 6079 put our commenters to work. I would very much appreciate a guest blog from someone in the know. Comment back if you are so inclined.
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