BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY OCT. 18, 2017) – Health care, not the sexiest topic, doesn’t need to be decked out in Victoria’s Secret to be of vital interest to every living American — even some dead ones.

First, three general points need to be made:

1. There’s no excuse for the United States to be the only country in the developed world not to have health insurance provided as a citizen’s rights. Constitutionally, personal health falls under our rights to pursue “life, liberty, and happiness.” If you’re not well, your apt not to be happy or to consider yourself truly free or alive. Moreover, the health of a citizenry is a national security issue every bit as much as secure borders and terrorism alerts. Yes, THE PLANET loathes Big Government, but pragmatically, there is no other agency with a large enough umbrella to provide blanket coverage. Theoretically, of course, it’s far different, but we remind all that utopia can never be considered a realistic option.
2. To force employers to provide health insurance to workers violates every tenet of free enterprise. We should no more expect employers to pay worker premium that we would for them to pay employee utility or cable bills.
3. Hardworking tax-paying U.S. citizens — as opposed to illegal immigrants, welfare cheats, and other assorted scammers who get a free ride — can thank an unholy alliance of politicians, lobbyists, insurance companies, medical industry bean counters, and drug companies for perpetrating the health insurance scam that hamstrings America and its budget, to say nothing of The Kapanskis’ household budget. The scam compares favorably to a mob-run shakedown racket: Regulations force you to pay monthly premiums (home, health, auto) as tribute to insurance companies. Insurers stand more than happy to take your hard-earned dollars on the premise that you will never have to use the actual policy. Have an accident and try to collect, however, and you become The Enemy. Insurers may (or may not) pay. When they do, it’s grudgingly and often partially. Finally, in the end, they raise your premiums for having the audacity to utilize coverage.

This leads us to the burning question of reform. How can we change such a corrupt system? Short answer: The same way you move a mountain, namely, one stone at a time.

Say what you want about President Donald Trump‘s executive order on ACA health care plans. The fact remains that Trump took a step made necessary by the failure of Obamacare. Here’s the bitter harvest of Obamacare:

• It decimates people who don’t have acess to employer health plans but now find Obamacare out of reach because of gigantic jumps in premiums. Fact is, Obamacare left many more uninsured that the President’s initial proposal to repeal Obamacare. Denied an overhaul by a divided and dysfunctional Republican Congress, Trump is trying to move one stone at a time.
• Obamacare doesn’t allow small businesses to form association pools to leverage lower premiums for workers. Small businesses once had that right. Obamacare saw to that. Try running a small business (as THE PLANET did for many years) and keep up with employee premiums without the right to join a small business pool.
• The cost of skyrocketing premiums to the Dreaded Private Sector and to the economy are incalculable.
• Over-regulation of plans.
• Unrealistic minimum-coverage requirements.
• Exorbitant copays.
• Lack of consumer protections.
• Lack of competition. A full third of counties forced into Obamacare’s exchange plans have no competitors. The  monopolies have unmercifully hammered companies, workers, and citizens.

Trump’s executive order seeks to remedy these onerous measures. In addition, Trump’s plan would allow those in between jobs to sign up for short-term health care plans. One-year plans would also be available to those who missed insurance deadlines or who have no other insurance options.

The President’s order now goes to the Labor, Health, and treasury departments for draft and formulation. Keep in mind that those regulations will be drawn up to include public comments. THE PLANET‘s column shall be included, including those of our readers.

As much as Trump’s opposition hates to admit it, when compared to his predecessor’s disastrous attempt at health care reform, the President’s order provides coverage, cost control, and better coverage.

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“A child whose life is full of threat and fear of punishment is locked into babyhood” — John Holt.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The Usual Disclaimer.