The Washington Post
November 6, 2001
by Melody Simmons
“Get ready. Those large packets beetling with details about health insurance re-enrollment will arrive soon, if they are not already on your nightstand nagging you for attention. And the bad news is, experts say that this year you really need to read them. Costs are going up and benefits are going down in nearly every plan, making this a lousy year to (go ahead, admit it) just put a check mark next to your current insurance plan and be done with it.”
Comment: The remainder of the article discusses innumerable permutations and combinations of choices that must be made during the “open season” of the health plans. The “empowered consumer” is clearly the prey during this open season since the options available are specifically designed to shift more costs to the beneficiary. Increased cost shifting reduces affordability and consequently reduces access to care, the exact opposite of what our health policy should be.
Our current national health policies are specifically designed to perpetuate and enhance the health of health plans while neglecting the health of the patients. Let’s place patients first by establishing one universal health plan that is specifically designed to assure access and affordability for everyone. The only loser would be the parasitic private health plans.