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Show Opinions Monday • August 3, Single payer = single right answer DAVID SELF NEWLIN Opinions editor I don't like Obama's plan for some of the same reasons as much more conservative thinkers. But standard critiques of the plan's problems are precisely backwards. One problem with our current system is that it puts the burden on the business to provide insurance. But the appropriate response to this problem is not to shift the burden onto the individual entirely, as many conservatives would advocate ~ they'll never see a pay raise equivalent to the loss of benefits because that would require businesses to irrationally take profit out of their own pockets without being required to do so — something they rarely do. No, the correct response, is to put the burden on everyone collectively as opposed to everyone individually, which has been done many times, over, though never in America, and has always — and I mean this in the-strongest possible sense— always been effective. That's right - single payer health care systems invariably work. The Obama-Biden plan is not single-payer, and as such does not fully address the problem in the current system. In fact, it retains this problem. By the way, giving tax credits to businesses, which the Obama-Biden plan does, -is socialized medicine (which isn't all bad) but it is the worst kind of socialized medicine, since it requires the government to recoup the lost revenue from individual taxpayers collectively. When businesses get credits, our taxes go up, with the public financing the private world. Another problem with health insurance is that it just is insurance. There is absolutely no reason for a premium to go up simply because you get sick or are likely to be sick. Doing this is unequivocal discrimination against the unhealthy (even against those who willfully become unhealthy like smokers; I'd hate to see anyone discriminated against simply because they are willfully Mormon or Jewish, just to point out an obvious analogy). Rather than health insurance, we should just have health care, where everyone does "Rather than health insurance, we should just have health care, where everyone does in fact see a doctor for every cough and scrape and every cough and scrape costs the same as the last." in fact see a doctor for every cough and scrape and every cough and scrape costs the same as the last. Doing this is the best way to avoid illness in the future and makes health care not only cheaper by preventing many worse and more expensive health problems early on, but also makes you, that's right, healthier. Then there is, of course, the obvious problem that not providing health care puts government in direct confrontation with its stated purpose, at least its purpose according to conservatives. What I mean is that protecting rights seems a little silly and perhaps a little dishonest if you are not first in the business of protecting life. What do rights matter if you're either dead or dying? Protect rights, we should also be encouraging life, and if we don't, we just aren't as great a society as we claim to be - we do only the easy part of the work. Another problem with both the Obama-Biden plan and the libertarian thinking of our neoconservative American right-wing is that the plan reflects the absolute fiction that the government is not, should not be, and could ever not be a competitor in the market. The reality just is, and will fprever be, that the government plays a huge role in the economy, from the simplest of ways like paying government employees, to the most socially and morally complex like making laws about how fast I can move my product from point A t o B , or disallowing us from buying alcoholic beverages on Sundays. Please let us move past the illusion that the government isn't a member of the market place. Being a "protector" is just being a competitor. (Also remember that business competes for the right to govern as well. If I walk into work and I don't meet the dress code, I am fired or fined. Sounds like a law to me...) Also, let's remember that we already have a socialized system, only a terrible, diffuse and often unrecognized socialization which serves only to keep uninsured people sick and insured people paying for their overly expensive costs which could have been prevented. Again — insurance-as-care is not the answer in any form or in any plan — single-payer total care is the only rational, financially sound, honest, and above all, moral answer to our health care problems, and the ObamaBiden plan does not address this most critical issue. vi*. : V?f^V^ Obama/Biden Health Care Basics • Require everyone to be offered coverage, either by their employer, a private plan, or a government sponsored . public option. • Premiums remain the sanoe regardless of health status. If you are sick you pay the same as someone who is not sick, and they won't go up if you get sick after signing up for cheaper coverage. Pre-existing conditions don't affect cost. • The public option would essentially be the same as the insurance currently offered to members of congress' (the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program). • Employers who do not offer insurance would be required to pay into the national plan to help cover costs, but small businesses would be exempt from this requirement. • Creation of the National Health Insurance Exchange - you can choose between public and private options with ease and receive income-based tax credits to help cover costs. More regulation of premium rates and costs to make the market more competitive, and to avoid oligarchic or monopolistic business practices. Health insurance options under par gram, HRA's (Health Risk Appraisals), health screenings and even a walking Did you know that you group, but there is no stucan get student health in- dent health insurance. surance from between $30 It seems that such a -$150 a month? lack of student health insurUp until a few days ago, ance is outside of current I didn't either. As it turns college trends. In May, the out, UVU students can gain New York Times reported access through an online that 20 percent of college health insurance students don't distributor called have health in"UVU does not CampusCoversurance, and age.com who have a set, ofelsewhere it has have a company ficial insurance been estimated in almost ev- option to offer that 30 percent ery state. Our students." of colleges (and "agent" is Emily several states) Burr, who works require stuessentially as an interme- dents to have health insurdiary between insurance ance. BYU and U of U both companies and UVU, U of have official health policies, U, BYU and Provo College both require students to students. Burr said that she have health insurance, and usually gets students who both are able to offer plans are involved in the intra- to students who are unable mural sports (UVU has no to stay on their parents' plan insurance option offered through insurance compathrough CampusCover- nies specific to each school. age.com for intercollegiate This is not to complain sports) as well as others about what the neighbors seeking a new plan, having are doing or to say that passed the age limit under UVU's student health~'Sertheir parents' plan. vices are incompetent. But if we want to .fully progBut UVU does not have ress towards a university a set, official insurance op-, status, in word and in deed, tion to offer students, and perhaps some higher-ups, while the Wellness Cenwould do well to question ter offers great services why UVU doesn't have an for relatively cheap prices, official health policy regardmost of UVU's health sering health insurance options vices are free programs like for full-time students; Until ULifeline and HealthQuest then, students can feel free designed to do little to provide long-term medical and to explore what is currently dental benefits. UVU offers available on campus. a smoking cessation proMATTTHEWA.JONASSAINT Asst. Opinions editor Oh no, It's one of those crazy pyramid schemes... Jordy Kirtman/UVU Review Friends with benefits SPENCER SHELL Opinions writer Nothing can ruin a friendship faster than having a friend think that your friendship means nothing more than being able to get you a great deal on life insurance, cosmetics,, home security or on high-end cutlery. Large and profitable local companies like Nu Skin, Xango, and Tahitian Noni not only offer you a great deal on these products, but they are also giving you, a great opportunity to join their team and to make the big bucks for yourself! Or so to buy or join. you think... Far more often than not, Some call it direct sell- their efforts never turn into ing, others call it multi-level compensation. marketing, while many call The whole idea comes it a pyramid scheme. across as people trying to Multi-level marketing is make lots of money by putlegal in all 50 states. Still, ting in the least amount of these businesses do seem to effort possible. Why bother run like a pyramid scheme going to college and earning (which is illegal). Even a degree when you can sell though they technically may for these companies and renot be one since participants tire by the age of 40? do not have to pay for the In reality, the only thing right to participate, they still you'll be selling out is yourrun with the idea of guys on self. the top making the big bucks Granted, for some peowhile the grunts on the bot- ple, this kind of job works tom do all of the hard work, well. There are certainly the like badgering their family few who make good money, Loiters to the editor requirements • Letters must be turned in on Wednesday by noon in order to be printed in the next edition. • We make no guarantee that letters will be printed. • Letters 300 words or less Jiave a greater chance of being published - anything longer will be edited for content. • Please provide an electronic copy regardless of whether or not- but realistically a gigantic percentage likely get burned out within a few months with nothing to prove for it after having manipulated, irritated and alienated their friends and relatives. The best legal way to make money still seems to be by working hard and putting in an honest day's work. The bottom line is, friends shouldn't sell friends anything through these multi-level marketing com^ parties. The next time one of your friends or relatives talks to you about a supergreat deal, you should reevaluate your relationship. / uvu.review.opinions@gmaii.com you wish to submit a hard copy. • All letters become the property of UVU Review as soon as they are submitted. • Anonymous letters are only publishable when the safety or professional status of the letter writer is in jeopardy. For more information on student health insurance at UVU s CampusCoverage.com/ITVSCor visit the Wellness Center in room SC-221. |