Monday, August 14, 2006
Sell Out
Today I went through orientation for my new job. As the presenters went through the company vision and mission it took all that was within me to keep my mouth shut - working for an HMO while fervently believing in the moral necessity of universal health care takes the concept of cognitive dissonance to new levels. A few months ago I asked what's people's price was, what would cause them to sell out the things in which they believe - it appears that for me the price is somewhere between $50K and $100K per year.The whole day I sat there, seething, wondering if something
Medicaid Members (2004): 42.4 millionIf the increase of taxes were split between employers and employees then corporations would realize an even greater windfall.
Medicaid Budget (2004): $173 billion
Medicaid cost per Medicaid member (2004): $4080
Medicaid cost if extended to every US Citizen (300 million people): $1.224 trillion
Current corporate spending on employee health benefits: $1.8 trillion
Savings: $576 billion each and every year
Of course, if this were to be implemented then I - along with 20,000 of my new co-workers - would be out of a job, so I obviously cannot advocate this course of action. Besides, you would sooner see MoveOn.org endorse a Falwell/Robertson presidential ticket than see Congress seriously propose enrolling the entire nation into Medicaid.
It would make too much sense.
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Clinton tried to REALLY address Health Care, I haven't seen anyone push the Health Care agenda quite as hard since. Seems to me that universal health care is a no brainer. Could you imagine how much healthier this country would be if you had the freedom to get a regular check-up without compromising your grocery budget? We are losing lives because folks are being forced to choose between hospital visits and necessary things such as food, clothing, and shelter. How many curable diseases would we catch in time if we had such health care. I just don't understand it. And its not like this is a new idea...people have been talking about this for inside of decade at my count. We need democratic control of the White House, We need democratic control of the House of Reps., the Senate...something. The Republicans will continue the status quo on this issue (they love stat quo) if we don't affect real change in Washington.
Great Post Oscar...more, more, more.
I would sure sign up for Medcaid quick fast and in a hurry...Great post Oscar...seriously...