Now that the Senators have agreed to debate their proposed health care reform bill, let’s consider it half time for their game. They definitely consider it a game. Let’s talk about what we know and what we do not know about health care in the United States so far. Let’s start with what we do know from published documents that so far no one disputes.

We have one of the most expensive systems among developed nations in the world. We have millions uninsured and under-insured.

We spend one-sixth or almost 16 percent of our total economy (Gross Domestic Product) on health care, and it’s headed for one-fifth or 20 percent unless changed — a reported average of $12,700 per year for a family. Other developed nations spend from 6.5 percent to 10 to 12 percent of their economy on health care. This means that we spend over $500 to $800 billion more than other countries. Some comparisons are available at www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/.

I read and hear billions and trillions of dollars and I cannot begin to understand the ease that our legislators throw these numbers around. I guess it is easy when it is someone else’s money — the taxpayer’s, you and me. An additional $500 to $800 billion into the economy in areas other than health care waste would create a lot of jobs and purchases of homes, cars, refrigerators, and college educations.

Health care premiums have increased 120 percent over the past 10 years while inflation was below 40 percent and wage increases were less than 30 percent. No one in either political party disagrees that this is totally unsustainable. They may disagree on how to fix it, but no one disagrees that this problem must be fixed.

There are a lot of reports that estimate that as much as one-third, or over 30 percent of all the money spent on health care in our country is wasted in areas that have nothing to do with doctors helping sick patients. We spend five times more on administration than other systems.

Fraud is estimated at 22 percent of all health care waste or $200 billion a year in fraudulent Medicare claims, kick-backs for unnecessary referrals, and other scams. The 60 Minutes news program recently reported that Medicare claims fraud had replaced cocaine trafficking as the preferred criminal scam in south Florida.

We know that Congress stopped the negotiations with drug companies for the senior Medicare program causing much higher prices for the same drugs in Canada and Mexico and our own Veteran’s Administration programs.

We know that the Congressman who helped pass the bill left and he is now heading the top drug lobbying group at a reported $2.5 million per year annual salary.

We know that hidden in the 2,000 page bill is a way for Congress not to participate in the reform bill, just like they do not participate in social security.

We know that over 70 percent of employers used to offer insurance to their folks, and now it is in the low 50’s.

We know that hundreds of thousands of retirees have had their health insurance canceled or premiums rose to levels not affordable.

We know that organizations like the World Health Organization and Commonwealth Fund, and others rank us very low for quality and fairness in our system. Our recently published Illinois report card on hospitals did not boost our confidence. The report card can be accessed at www.healthcarereportcard.illinois.gov.

We could fill this paper with what we know about health care that has been documented, and it would hard to find a lot to stand up and cheer about on health care cost. It is reported that every 30 seconds we have someone going into bankruptcy because of a medical incident. This does not happen in other countries. Should people go bankrupt for sickness and accidents beyond their control? Should they lose homes, cars and their way of life because they or a family member get sick or injured? We are the only developed nation that permits this. I say no — no and again no! This should not happen in the greatest nation in the world.

Let’s talk about what we do not know:

We do not know why our legislators must spend months writing a 2,000 page bill on health care reform to appease the lobbyists and special interest groups when they have access to every system in the world. They could pick the very best features of each system and not pick features that are not good.

We do not know why we continue to elect folks who do not represent the people and continue to defend the interests of the special interest groups and lobbyist.

When we finally know the answers to these two questions that we do not know the answers to, we will start voting the incumbents out until they start representing the people with honor.



James Rippy is a former manager of what is now Continental Tire North America in Mt. Vernon and has authored a book titled “Executivitis.” E-mail him at rippyj@charter.net.