The Rehabilitating Healthcare series continues on the editorial page; this week's installment focuses on rationing. The current system rations care based on income, which leaves the poorer folks out to dry while properly insured Americans fare well. The Times' editorial notes that most people have no qualms with the system, though, because it prevents the government from determining what care you get. Critics of Obama's healthcare proposal are hostile to such government rationing. Here is the board's response:
Although we'd prefer a government-run insurance option that has to
negotiate with doctors and hospitals the same way private insurers do,
we don't believe that one with the power to set prices will necessarily
out-compete the likes of Aetna, Kaiser Permanente and Blue Cross.
That's because private insurers will still be able to innovate with
providers to deliver better care, just as FedEx and United Parcel
Service have done to compete successfully with the U.S. Postal Service.
Elsewhere on the page, the
editorial board expresses disappointment at the Los Angeles Unified School District (surprise, surprise) because of its decision to hold off on implementing an idea proposed by school board Vice President Yolie Flores Aguilar that would allow various groups to submit competing proposals on how 50 new schools across the district would be run. Some labor unions object to Flores' proposal on the grounds that it would limit union jobs in these new schools. While many details still need to be worked out before the program goes through, the editorial says, the school board should actually be the agent of educational change it says it is.
On the Op-Ed page, ccontributing editor Sara Catania offers an up close and personal look at home foreclosures in Los Angeles. Catania talks to five people who have sought legal help after hitting rock bottom in recent days.
Also in Op-Ed land, NPR senior news analyst Daniel Schorr reflects on legendary news anchor Walter Cronkite and what made him as successful as he was in turning any story into national news. His conclusion? Everyone trusted Uncle Walter:
The simple answer, but maybe too simple, is that Cronkite inspired
trust. In a couple of polls he was designated the most trusted man in
America. His baritone voice with its Midwest cadence, the impression he
gave of being unawed by all the big shots he had to deal with, his
never losing touch with his audience -- all these factors placed him in
a unique role. And he felt its weight. Asked to run for public office,
Cronkite reportedly said he could not step down from his anchor post.
Photo: For-sale signs line a residential street in Adelanto, Calif., in the Mojave Desert (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images).
US health care reform will benefit every US citizen on an 'equal basis', your current system (Medicare) is a poor relation compared to the British NHS system, in many ways the Medicare system is a very expensive and poor performing health care system in relation to success rates in the treatment of (cancer, obesity, coronary care etc)in other western countries. The 'free market' insurance companies are no doubt ripping Americans off (this will happen if a health care is run like a private business?) with middle men and inflated health care costs, you as Americans have not got the best health care system, you pay more for health care but dont fair well in the health care recieved. Why any American would dispute the right for every American citizen to recieve free health care is beyond me?, your constitution states that all Americans have the right to bear arms ("whats that all about"?), that should be changed to the right to receive free health care.
The republicans seem to have an organized viral anxiety campaign regarding these reforms, they don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the box especially the (wanabe) Sarah Palin who claims the UK NHS health care system revolves around "Death Panels", this is a complete lie, i have worked for many years in both the public and private sectors of the UK health care system and it delivers the highest possible standards of care for free to all!, i have experience of both working and being a patient in the NHS and two members of my family have unfortunately had cancer and are still with me today because of the first class treatment they recieved via the NHS. It should be a governments role to provide universal state health care for 'ALL' its citizens, health care should not be a lottery made available for only those who can afford the ticket, the government should take a pro-active role in the health care which is what President Obama is trying to do, where is the problem?. I have spoken to many American patients over the years when working within the NHS and i suggest you seek simillar individuals out who have had the NHS experience and ask their opinion of the NHS system instead of listening to your republican politicians and other people who may have a clandestine interest (greed) in stopping what is a very moral, justifiable and forward thinking health care reform.
Posted by: Chris Hickman | August 13, 2009 at 01:51 PM
There are a lot of foreclosures happening on entire developments, and the bank come's in and completely destroys all of the newly built houses. What a waste!! They could deconstruct these houses (get the write off) and and post the materials for free on www.diggerslist.com .
Let's demand that they not waste these materials and at least donate them to someone else.
Posted by: Matt Knox | July 21, 2009 at 07:39 AM