Obamacare, Medicare, Vouchercare: The Need For A Health Care Referendum

The formal name for it is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law on March 23, 2010. Since then, it has come to be known unceremoniously as “Obamacare”. This was the most significant regulatory change in health care since 1965, when Medicare was introduced. Speaking of which, we now have a proposal for “Vouchercare”, a “new, sustainable version of Medicare” according to the Republican Party.

None of this should be about “Whatever-Care” or any other fear-provoking moniker – it should be about health care. But in order to do so, we have to set the record straight first and foremost. We, as a nation, need a referendum on health care. Let’s get down to some basic decisions that have nothing to do with political party or affiliation.

All of the political diatribe these days obscures and trivializes one simple point: the United States is the only industrialized nation that does not have some system of universal health care (private or public sector). This is reflected in the #37 world ranking given by the World Health Organization.

Of course, you can turn your nose up at the World Health Organization. You can continue to claim “what do they know, we have the best system in the world”. You can remain in a state of denial. You can turn a blind eye to the 17% of GDP spent by this country on health care – at least 7 to 10% greater than any other country. Go ahead, ignore the numbers.

There are some basic decisions that need to be made in this country, first and foremost, that are not necessarily related to political platforms. This is no longer a political issue. This is why I believe there is a need for a national referendum. If you want a say in the matter, take responsibility and contribute to the discussion. The data could then be used to tell us what direction the people of this country wish to go.

Here are a few of the critical questions that need to be answered:

As a citizen of the United States, do you …

1. … think that health care is one of the unalienable rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”? (yes/no)

2. … support the basic premise that all citizens deserve and have the right to some basic level of health care? (yes/no)

3. … feel that this is best accomplished with a public sector program or a private sector program? (yes/no)

4. …think that the health care system should be different for those over the age of 65? (yes/no)

These are foundational issues that have yet to be clarified. They would help to define the basic human value system of the citizens of this country. Once you have that, you then have a platform on which to build service provision and reimbursement strategies.

Let’s face the hard facts: as it stands right now, there are too many political issues standing in the way of truly finding solutions to the problems that exist in our current health care system. We are perpetuating a flawed system by using small bandages as stop-gap measures for a gaping flesh wound. We must address the systemic solution, otherwise this patient – our current system – will bleed to death via greater and greater percentages of GDP expended on diminishing results for fewer people.

If we can get a handle on the underlying core values of the citizens, we can then use our brightest minds to build something spectacular that is reflective of the creative genius and problem solvers of this fine nation.

Photo credits: Keith Bacongco