What ever happened to my choice?

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Posted: Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 at 2:32 am | Last Updated: Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 at 2:32 am
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Simply for taking a breath of air as you read this article, the U.S. government would like to force you to buy a service.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau there are 313,376,955 people currently living in the U.S.

These people are free to buy services as they choose. The U.S. only requires people to pay taxes, they do not currently force people to buy a service simply for breathing.

That could all change if the health care bill does not get repealed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Under the new health care bill (other wise known as ‘Obamacare’ or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) people in the U.S. would be required to buy health Insurance from a private health Insurance company if they did not qualify for the expanded federal-state Medicaid program that is currently in place.

This means that simply for having a heart beat you are being forced into an act of commerce so that the federal government can then regulate that commerce, something that on the surface seems anything but constitutional.

The notation of affordable health coverage for all is great for selling bumper stickers and gaining popularity but it is not realistic.

Health insurance companies are not in the business of losing money, they are not in the business of seeing their bottom line slip. They are in the business of increasing their bottom line and seeing profits grow.

If the cost of health care begins to slip, causing health care companies to make less money, they will simply increase their price. The same can be said of doctors offices, which are all part of living in a free market economy.

In order to truly change the cost of health care, people will have to change how they “shop” for health care.

When people need medical attention, they do not shop around for the best price, they do not go looking for special deals, they go to the best doctor in the area and ask for his services.

While this is a completely understandable decision, it is one that people should realize will cost them.

When you go shopping for a car, you look for something in your price range. If you earn $25,000 a year, you are not going to go to your nearest Bugatti dealership to pick out your new car. You will go to a car dealership that offers cars in your price range.

The same should be done when it comes to the purchasing of health coverage or when you visit your local doctors office. If you want the best you will have to pay of it.

Most doctors services are never going to be free of charge, someone will always have to pay for it.

There is nothing wrong with a system where you have the option to buy a service and the option not to buy a service.

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Contact Senior Reporter Christopher Lauritsen via email at cklaurit@oakland.edu or follow him on Twitter @ChrisLaurtsen

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  • Ryan

    Not to mention the inexorable tax burden that will be placed on families and small businesses alike, despite President Obama’s pledge not to raise taxes on such groups. Such taxes include:
    a) A 40% excise tax on health insurance plans valued in excess of $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families, to take effect in 2018
    b) An increase in payroll taxes, traditionally used exclusively to fund Social Security and Medicare, which then begs the question, what future programs will Congress fund using increased payroll taxes?
    c) Payroll taxes on investment to fund the Affordable Care Act, which will stifle investment, slow economic growth, and lead to fewer jobs in the long-term.

    When one does some research, it is difficult not to feel overwhelmed by the future tax increases that are a direct result of this legislation.