Progressive Ponderings: Who Will Write the Healthcare Contracts?
by Joe Mayer
A contract is an agreement between two or more parties creating one or more obligations that are enforceable in a court of law. A contract may be as simple as putting a quarter in a machine and receiving a gumball or as complex as buying a healthcare insurance policy.
Problems for citizen-consumers arise in our complex contracts because nearly all are written by corporate lawyers in language that is, for the general public, incomprehensible. Each of us has entered into contracts which affect us on a daily basis – telephone, cable, internet, mortgages, credit cards, warranties, service contracts, utilities, payday usury loans, multiple insurance contracts. When a corporate party defaults, cancels or changes terms we have a right to sue in court. Of course that means hiring a lawyer to defend against a team of corporate lawyers already on staff or retainer. Faced with that option most of us just give up.
When property is insured, it is straightforward and measurable. When humans are insured it is more complex. An example is disability coverage: How disabled? Who and what was the cause? 100% disability or only 10%? What is the disability worth?
The most complex of all insurance is healthcare. The human machine, besides its fantastic integrated working parts, is also governed by emotional and mental forces. Writing a contract to cover all the possible physical and mental problems, diseases and injuries that can affect the human is nearly impossible. Adding to this complexity is the daily advance in treatments, cures, and medicine that can’t be foreseen or enumerated in a policy.
One hears the term "universal coverage": What is it? Does “universal” refer to covering ALL people? Does it mean coverage for ALL medical needs? Are non-citizens a part of “universal”?
If “universal” means covering all people and mandatory coverage becomes the law without single payer or at least a public insurance option, then each of us would be forced into purchasing private health insurance. Who will write the contracts? Will they be standardized? Will there be a government watchdog, an overseer? If the contracts differ company to company, how will I choose coverage not knowing my medical or injury future? Will it be affordable? Will it have co-pays and/or deductibles beyond my financial means? What will keep a lid on escalating medical costs?
This is our current situation. For many it would continue to be a choice between living and bankruptcy, between drugs and food, between healthcare and death. These are the choices being offered by corporate America.
I recently found a listing of all attendees at the White House Healthcare Summit. Neither John Q Public nor single-payer was listed. The House Bill for single-payer is HR676, the Senate version S703. Break the corporate monopoly over our lives by contacting your representative, Senators (if you have more than one) and the White House, and ask for passage of these bills.
(NOTE: This is the third in a series of articles about healthcare reform written by our colleague Joe Mayer.)
A contract is an agreement between two or more parties creating one or more obligations that are enforceable in a court of law. A contract may be as simple as putting a quarter in a machine and receiving a gumball or as complex as buying a healthcare insurance policy.
Problems for citizen-consumers arise in our complex contracts because nearly all are written by corporate lawyers in language that is, for the general public, incomprehensible. Each of us has entered into contracts which affect us on a daily basis – telephone, cable, internet, mortgages, credit cards, warranties, service contracts, utilities, payday usury loans, multiple insurance contracts. When a corporate party defaults, cancels or changes terms we have a right to sue in court. Of course that means hiring a lawyer to defend against a team of corporate lawyers already on staff or retainer. Faced with that option most of us just give up.
When property is insured, it is straightforward and measurable. When humans are insured it is more complex. An example is disability coverage: How disabled? Who and what was the cause? 100% disability or only 10%? What is the disability worth?
The most complex of all insurance is healthcare. The human machine, besides its fantastic integrated working parts, is also governed by emotional and mental forces. Writing a contract to cover all the possible physical and mental problems, diseases and injuries that can affect the human is nearly impossible. Adding to this complexity is the daily advance in treatments, cures, and medicine that can’t be foreseen or enumerated in a policy.
One hears the term "universal coverage": What is it? Does “universal” refer to covering ALL people? Does it mean coverage for ALL medical needs? Are non-citizens a part of “universal”?
If “universal” means covering all people and mandatory coverage becomes the law without single payer or at least a public insurance option, then each of us would be forced into purchasing private health insurance. Who will write the contracts? Will they be standardized? Will there be a government watchdog, an overseer? If the contracts differ company to company, how will I choose coverage not knowing my medical or injury future? Will it be affordable? Will it have co-pays and/or deductibles beyond my financial means? What will keep a lid on escalating medical costs?
This is our current situation. For many it would continue to be a choice between living and bankruptcy, between drugs and food, between healthcare and death. These are the choices being offered by corporate America.
I recently found a listing of all attendees at the White House Healthcare Summit. Neither John Q Public nor single-payer was listed. The House Bill for single-payer is HR676, the Senate version S703. Break the corporate monopoly over our lives by contacting your representative, Senators (if you have more than one) and the White House, and ask for passage of these bills.
(NOTE: This is the third in a series of articles about healthcare reform written by our colleague Joe Mayer.)
Labels: healthcare, single-payer, universal health insurance
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