HillaryCare – second impressions.

Second Impressions

More impressions to come….and then a contrasting with other Dem plans advocating for socialized medicine vs the free marketplace plans of the Republicans. 

Biggest problem?  Lack of details.  Enough to make it appear to be "friendly" but not enough detail, especially costing and forward looking projections, to be immediately objectionable with only a cursory review.

In other words, it sounds "nice" until a second or third reading and one starts asking hard questions. 

This plan will eventually put private health care insurance companies out of business:

• They cannot discriminate against anyone for any condition.  Why bother paying for insurance until you get sick?
• Forcing private companies to compete against the Government that will undercut their prices.
• Giving the impression that private endeavors are ripoff artists ("excessive pemiums" and "fair" drug prices are not fair).
• Will be highly regulating insurance and drug company revenues, profits, and free speech – "not excessive profits and marketing". 

Strengthen Governmental healthcare programs over those in the private sector:

• Strengthen Medicare and SCHIP
• "take over" private retiree health plans 

Disregards true costs of providing healthcare by again and further distorting the marketplace:

• Limits premiums to a percentage of family income
• Promises to go after "excessive" premiums
• Insinuates that drug prices are excessive
• Mandates that employers pay for health insurance (no longer optional or based on competing in the employee marketplace.
• ALL people will be required to have insurance – there will be no choice.

Promotes Class Warfare:

• Add new taxes on the rich ("Discontinue Bush Tax Cuts")
• Take away tax exempt status for high salary earners
• Promises lower premumns based on a percentage of family income

Emphasis:

• Federal Government will make it all more affordable (I’m thinking $600 toilet seats again)
• Federal Government will "end the upward cost spiral". 

Unspoken:

• You will be required to consume preventative care.

Missing? 

• What will the penalties be for not following this plan.  Shades of John Edwards…
• Lack of projected increases – See RomneyCare where the expenses are exploding  

The worst? 

• Couching her language in the word "choice" when in the long term, I and my family will have less. 
• Everything is "shared". No, control is not shared – this will be strictly the parview of the Government.  You and I will have no control as the private healthcare providers are squeezed.

This is a classic Liberal attempt to control a marketplace via massive manipulation of the existing tax code to make corporations and us to behave the way that a policy wonk believes is best for us.  Not me making the decision, not you, but the Government.  This will eventually result in less choice overall as Government overregulation and control will constrain further innovation and quality in the marketplace. 

Less choice?  Less Freedom.

Complete layman’s fisking coming.

Note: When an engineer pronounces something "elegant", it generally means a solution has been found that solves a problem with a minimum of muss and fuss.  The vast majority of the time, something that is "elegant" is also a "simple" solution – few parts to fail and fulfills the functional need in an economical fashion.

This ain’t elegant.