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columbus represent

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

AHIP's Push for Health "Reform"

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) recently jumped into the arena of health reform efforts, by announcing its own plan to cover most USians.  At first glance, it's one of those double take situations.  The Insurance industry wanting to cover everyone?  They have not showed this kind of desire for change ever before, and in fact they have traditionally fought reform efforts.  So what's happening now? Have they suddenly been struck with a bolt of moral lightening?  Me thinks not. However, I do see this as a very positive sign.
 
To me, this is a sign that AHIP has been feeling the winds of change, and has decided that the tipping point has come (or is on the very near horizon) for health reform in this country. There is no turning back. Public opinion and clamour has hit the point of no return. Health reform IS coming. AHIP senses this, and realizes that if they don't get on board and insert themselves now, insuring their role in the health care system, they run the risk of getting cut out of the equation entirely.
 
After all, if we get down to the nitty gritty, insurance industry profits are simply too high.  The actual dollar amount we spend on health care is extraordinary, yet our health outcomes don't reflect this. We have out of control spending on health care in this country, and we let people die because of it, while at the same time the insurance industry skims our health care dollars for profit. Reforming the system so that we don't continue to keep this insane rate of inflation on health care spending, while ensuring every gets the care they need could mean cutting insurance companies and their profits out of the equation entirely. They want to make sure that they can continue to reap such profits, and get their cut of the 46 million in this country who are currently uninsured, but who will get some sort of coverage or care if we reform the system to make sure we all have access to care. 
 
That's my take on it anyhow.

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