The Pharmaceutical industry needs overhauling first. Yet, at this point in time, nine months into the new Obama presidency and health care reform not slated to begin until 2010, deciding what part of the plan would be most useful is a good question to ask. The only problem in answering is who is to decide? Each questioner will answer according to their needs and their understanding of the problem and what they stand to gain from the results.
In this respect, it is good to know that decisions will be made by appointed panels of experts made up of those knowledgeable in medicine, insurance, and law. What health care reform does not need is the bickering and the confusion. that only shows how sick our nation is.
Logically, for this town hall meeting made up an imaginary group of well wishers, who, for the purpose of this article, will be the decision makers. We will begin at the broad based top of this pyramid shaped plan that is all inclusive and will tackle methods. Who funds medical care? As it now stands the government funds the programs that take care of those who cannot pay their own way or who don't have private or employer related insurance.
Or should health care reserve funds be used to finance this kind of care? What exactly are reserved funds? They are not yet created but are proposed by the new President to be made up of money collected from the wealthier citizens. This includes the wealthier seniors who can well afford to pay higher Medicare premiums to fund this venture. This is not bad thinking but of course it will have to be accepted by Congress. At this time, March, 2009 all kinds of arguments and plans and discussions are taking place.
The government is funding too much now, it only seems fair that those who have earned their money with the help of the government - which essentially is made up of the whole conglomerate of all of us - should somehow help with the reform. Is it not written somewhere that "he that is given much is expected to give much"? However the reform is financed, we must keep in mind that money alone is no answer. And by that I mean simply throwing money at problems will not in themselves cure or reform anything. There must be a solid foundation of wholesomeness and integrity on which to build. Money spent in this way will be well spent.
We optimists want to believe that with these latest turns of events, the drooping economy, a new set of governmental rules being put into place and a relearning of what's important and what's not important in our lives, is like building with marble and not sandstone. The picture changes somewhat daily and there's room for improvement everywhere, but we all know things cannot continue as has been. Bills must be paid and lifestyles must be lived in accordance with what is affordable and what can be paid for now and not charged to some future date.
Now having looked at the shape of health care from its highest, loftiest and most incomprehensible height and width, let's imagine the best. As time moves along the pyramid shape should gradually narrow as its moves downward toward the least of us while not toppling over from one sided and ill fated moves. The pivotal point, the loan individual bearing the brunt to this mammoth structure is left holding up the weight of the health care system as it now stands.
It will not stand, logic tells us. It does stand. The foundation of the inverted pyramid system is made up of an infinitesimal amount of courage, sacrifice and hope; it is made up of individuals the world over who are in dire need of a clean drink of water, a bowl of rice, a helping hand. This is the shape of future health care. Of course in reality we know the broad base is the foundation made up of people with needs. Its shape is determined whether we are on the ground looking up or up there looking down.
Therefore what kind of reform would be the most beneficial? The kind of reform that will allow for the dignity of humanity while not denying the existence of higher purposes. That translates into affordable health care for everyone.