BLOG: Mitch Wilson, Austin TX Web & Multimedia Developer – Austin, TX

Health Insurance Industry is not the only problem

Why aren't politicians and pundits talking about health care reform? You say they are? I say they're talking about insurance reform, not health care reform, for the most part. Believe me: I want insurance reform. I currently have none. I am self-employed in Austin, TX with a wife and two boys. We could no longer afford health insurance that we could not count on; it's expensive and most likely, for an individual buyer like myself, would have been canceled in the event of a real health need. What I want is guaranteed health care. I just can't pay $500 a month for something I believe will not be there when I need it. I want health care reform.

Then why do I support Dennis Kucinich who has vowed to block the bill? Obama must understand he needs to woo Liberals, not the Republicans. We want a public option. I want something that brings health care to people, not just cost control. Of course I want cost control too, as that is essential and I can't currently afford health insurance. The bottom line, however, is improved health, not just cutting costs.

Let's think about a comment from Dennis Kucinich. On Keith Olbermann, to Lawrence O'Donnell, Representative Kucinich said, "Remember, insurance companies make money not providing health care. That is a fundamental truth about our health care system."

Here's what I think. Just as the goal of creating a green economy is to provide the right profit motives -- make green the better and cheaper alternative -- we need to change actual care so that it's more profitable to take care of people than it is to let them get sick. The way to impact the daily lives of Americans is through consumer goods and services. How about tax breaks or other incentives for pro-health businesses? I'm sure we have many ways to incentivize health. One example: tax fast food restaurants to subsidize health food stores. Make the bad food more expensive and the good food cheaper. Build more sidewalks and walkways and parks.

All of these dreams are public sector issues. They give us a vision. What about real things that the private sector can do now? The real goal here, the fundamental goal, is a challenge for health care providers, not for health care payers. Our health care system focuses too much on emergency care ... no mistake that people without health care are serviced only by emergency rooms, which is what our health care system basically is: an emergency room. I've never had a doctor inquire about my diet or give nutritional advice. And they generally don't unless you've already had a severe problem, once you've gotten sick. And it's too late. Doctors help people and do a great service to society. But we need more. We need to improve the general health of our population? Eat healthier food? Wouldn't that be a great goal?