The real cost of health reform

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

To the editor,

I realize that opinion pieces are just that, opinion, but the article entitled “The real cost of health reform” by Matthew Jarzen in the March 25th issue was so full of unsupported statements, half-truths, and outright lies as to demand a response. Mr. Jarzen needs to rely on something more than Fox News to inform his opinion.

There are too many such statements in the article to contend with all of them, but I’ll list a few. First, Mr. Jarzen states that, “in the matter of your health care decisions, the state is now the supreme authority…” That, of course, is a lie. There is nothing in the bill that just passed Congress that requires any citizen to receive the permission of any governmental authority to receive any sort of treatment (unless the treatment required is an abortion). I defy Mr. Jarzen to name any single such instance.

Mr. Jarzen also betrays a lack of understanding of the current situation when he states that covering 30 million new people with medical insurance will add 30 million new people to the line of people waiting to see doctors.

Those 30 million are seeing doctors right now, but they are doing so only at public hospital emergency rooms, and only when their problems become acute. Providing these people with insurance will allow them to see doctors for preventative care and will actually lower the cost of their treatment as the great majority will no longer be reaching the point where their illnesses become acute.

Further, the very notion that underlies Mr. Jarzen’s contention that medical care should be rationed based on people’s ability to pay for it is repugnant.

Complaining that there might not be enough doctors to treat those who cannot currently afford insurance but will be able to under this bill is simply a convoluted way of saying “let them eat cake.” One has a hard time understanding the moral philosophy on which this outlook is based.

Finally, Mr. Jarzen’s contention that the new law will add $1 trillion dollars to the deficit is not supported by the facts.

The entire cost of the bill is less than $1 trillion over 20 years, so it is hard to see how it could add more than that to the deficit.

Further, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the bill will lower the deficit by over $1 trillion dollars in the next 20 years. Mr. Jarzen is simply lying.

There are many reasons to be critical of this new law. Conservatives believe the bill goes too far, those of us with a more liberal outlook believe that it doesn’t go far enough. To resort to lies and half-truths to whip up opposition to the law, however, is to do the public a great disservice.

To publish such a piece does irreparable harm to the Rebel Yell’s reputation for journalistic integrity. More care should have been shown in selecting this piece for publication.

John Farrish,

Doctoral Student

YOU SAID: “First, Mr. Jarzen states that, “in the matter of your health care decisions, the state is now the supreme authority…” That, of course, is a lie. There is nothing in the bill that just passed Congress that requires any citizen to receive the permission of any governmental authority to receive any sort of treatment (unless the treatment required is an abortion). I defy Mr. Jarzen to name any single such instance.”

TRUTH: All health insurance plans subject to the “exchange” must be government approved. Meaning, they must meet a minimum requirement set by the government, i.e.: the STATE. This means, if the government requires acupuncture, chiropractic, etc. etc. to be included in all health plans, we will be required to pay the premiums for such plans whether we need those services or not. This puts government in charge of what QUALIFIES as a valid health care plan. Jarzen 1 – “NOT DOCTOR” Farrish 0

YOU SAY: “Those 30 million are seeing doctors right now, but they are doing so only at public hospital emergency rooms, and only when their problems become acute. Providing these people with insurance will allow them to see doctors for preventative care and will actually lower the cost of their treatment as the great majority will no longer be reaching the point where their illnesses become acute.”

TRUTH: The 30 million people who do not have access to health insurance now see doctors when absolutely necessary. Under this new plan, they will be able to go to the doctor for every cough and hiccup, thus further burdening our system — since there are no new doctors being legislated to cover this influx of new patients. Even by your own statement… “only when their problems become acute”… and then “will allow them to see doctors for preventative care”… you contradict yourself, and prove that these people will be going to the doctor MORE than before. Jarzen 2 – “DOCTORAL STUDENT” Farrish 0

YOU SAY: “Further, the very notion that underlies Mr. Jarzen’s contention that medical care should be rationed based on people’s ability to pay for it is repugnant.”

TRUTH: Jarzen’s article actually says: “In short, it must be rationed. Wait times to see doctors will lengthen exponentially and wait times to see specialists will most certainly dwarf the wait-times to see a general practitioner.” What he’s saying, is that without enough doctors and services available, health care will have to be rationed — or at least dispensed according to available resources. Your inaccurate representation of his comments is repugnant. Jarzen 3 – “Lying Future Doctor” Farrish 0

YOU SAY: “The entire cost of the bill is less than $1 trillion over 20 years, so it is hard to see how it could add more than that to the deficit.”

TRUTH: The “costs” of the first 10 years of this health care plan are calculated using 6 years of service, with 10 years of revenue collection. Not exactly a fair assessment of what future decades will hold. To see the bill’s true first-decade costs, we need to start the clock when the costs would actually start in any meaningful way: in 2014. The CBO says that Obamacare would cost $2.0 trillion in the bill’s real first decade (from 2014 to 2023) — and much more in the decades to come. But $2.0 trillion wouldn’t be the total ten-year costs. Instead, that would merely be the “gross cost of coverage provisions.” Based on earlier incarnations of the proposed overhaul, the total costs would be about a third higher (the exact number can’t be gleaned from the CBO’s analysis, which is only preliminary and is not a full scoring) — making the total price-tag between $2.5 and $3 trillion over the bill’s real first decade. So Matthew is not “lying” as you accuse… you are unwilling to look at real facts. Jarzen 4 – “Deluded Future Doctor” Farrish 0

YOU SAY: “To publish such a piece does irreparable harm to the Rebel Yell’s reputation for journalistic integrity. More care should have been shown in selecting this piece for publication.”

TRUTH: The Rebel Yell has no reputation for journalistic integrity. It is a student newspaper, made up of liberal contributors and liberal readers. Matthew Jarzen is the only conservative voice in an otherwise encumbering sea of liberal nonsense. If you are so offended by ONE conservative among many liberals, perhaps you need to revisit the concept of American journalism under our free press. The MORE voices represented, the BETTER. Free speech is based on that belief. Get over yourself. Jarzen 5 – “Silly Liberal” Farrish 0

The sad fact is… this bill is supposed to make it easier for people to acquire health insurance. It doesn’t do that. It doesn’t make health care more affordable… it simply provides government assistance to the poorest Americans — leaving the rest of us still unable to afford health insurance. But don’t worry — we’ll have to get it anyway, or be fined by the government. Yay! Nothing like affordable access to quality care!

Good luck with your future career in government-approved health care distribution, and life-sucking Medicare/Medicaid expenses!

http://unlvrebelyell.com/2010/04/09/letter-the-real-cost-of-health-reform/comment-page-1/

[Miranda&John 0]

Did you write this reply? Could you kindly refer to specific pages in the Bill where you get your facts?

Otherwise, you are just adding to the rhetoric of the original author(s).

Edited April 11, 2010 by Miranda&John

[Darnell 8,478]

swear to God - should be requirement that all software used by any 'healthcare entity' that takes in money because of this 'reform' -

be written by people IN the USA not holding H1-B visas.

[scandal 951]

Did you write this reply? Could you kindly refer to specific pages in the Bill where you get your facts?

Otherwise, you are just adding to the rhetoric of the original author(s).

Bill? Write that? Are you kidding?? :rofl:

Bill is the #1 Troll on VJ. Of course he's adding to the rhetoric. That's why he exists.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Bill? Write that? Are you kidding?? :rofl:

Bill is the #1 Troll on VJ. Of course he's adding to the rhetoric. That's why he exists.

Let's just wait and see what happens. The respondent to Farrish is FoS. That never stopped Chicken Little before.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

swear to God - should be requirement that all software used by any 'healthcare entity' that takes in money because of this 'reform' -

be written by people IN the USA not holding H1-B visas.

I would settle for just having all call centers exist within the continental United States.

Bill? Write that? Are you kidding?? :rofl:

Bill is the #1 Troll on VJ. Of course he's adding to the rhetoric. That's why he exists.

Sounds like a personal attack.

[Pooky 3,792]

I would settle for just having all call centers exist within the continental United States.

Down with Hawaiian call centres!

I don't want to be jealous of the people deny my claim!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Down with Hawaiian call centres!

I don't want to be jealous of the people deny my claim!

[scandal 951]

Sounds like a personal attack.

If the shoe fits.

Go ahead and report. You know you want to.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

If the shoe fits.

Go ahead and report. You know you want to.

Why report what is out there for the world to see?

[Pooky 3,792]

If the shoe fits.

Go ahead and report. You know you want to.

Why report what is out there for the world to see?

OK, lads. Handbags at the ready ...

Go for it!

[scandal 951]

Why report what is out there for the world to see?

Just the way I feel.

Your posts should be a part of the public record. No historical revisionism here, no sir.

OK, lads. Handbags at the ready ...

Go for it!

My European handbag is a Gucci original. I wouldn't want to damage it, taking a swing at Bill

[Pooky 3,792]

My European handbag is a Gucci original. I wouldn't want to damage it, taking a swing at Bill

Gucci Schmucci! If it isn't Prada, dearie, you're just not worth it.

[scandal 951]

Gucci Schmucci! If it isn't Prada, dearie, you're just not worth it.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Just the way I feel.

Your posts should be a part of the public record. No historical revisionism here, no sir.

My European handbag is a Gucci original. I wouldn't want to damage it, taking a swing at Bill

I didn't know you paint your toenails!