Asinine

I am constantly surprised by the depths that our legislators will sink to avoid any sort of challenge to the companies that fund their campaigns. If you feel that our health care system is in crisis, but you don't want to challenge any of the groups who are making huge profits off the fiasco, here's what you do:

A sweeping, bipartisan health reform plan that would require all Californians to purchase basic health insurance -- or have their wages garnished -- is drawing a lot of attention in Sacramento.

The Nation-Richman reform package would [among other things]:

Require citizens and legal residents of California to purchase basic health insurance, maintaining at least a catastrophic policy with a maximum $5,000 deductible. Californians would be required to submit proof of coverage with their state tax returns. Those who don't could be automatically enrolled in a health plan and either lose their tax refunds or have their wages garnished to pay the premiums.

What if you are not eligible for a refund or don't receive a regular paycheck? Mandatory car insurance is sort of understandable: if you can't afford it, don't drive.* What if you can't afford mandatory health insurance? Don't live?

Now, it's pretty clear that the US health care system is an unholy mess, but as even the Chronicle reported this week, half the money spent on health care is wasted. And it shouldn't be a surprise where that 50% is going:

Major sources of unnecessary spending include administrative costs and profit in the insurance industry, high prices of prescription drugs and health services and, to a smaller extent, theft and fraud, according to the study.

Unlike our legislators (but look! it's bipartisan idiocy!), it seems to me that if the system is broken, we might want to fix the damn thing, rather than figure out a way to pour more money into it.

Fortunately it looks as if this thing won't pass, but it's clearly one of these stupid ideas we'll have to keep fighting against for years. Argh.


*Yes, I realize that in most areas of the state you are totally screwed without a car, so it's not as simple as "no insurance? Don't drive." I still think it's easier, even in San Bernadino County or wherever, to live without driving than to live without breathing.