An Immoral Philosophy: PAUL KRUGMAN - Health Care

[proud2BlibKansan]

An Immoral Philosophy: PAUL KRUGMAN - Health Care

An Immoral Philosophy

By PAUL KRUGMAN

Published: July 30, 2007

What kind of philosophy says that it’s O.K. to subsidize insurance companies, but not to provide health care to children?

When a child is enrolled in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (Schip), the positive results can be dramatic. For example, after asthmatic children are enrolled in Schip, the frequency of their attacks declines on average by 60 percent, and their likelihood of being hospitalized for the condition declines more than 70 percent.

Regular care, in other words, makes a big difference. That’s why Congressional Democrats, with support from many Republicans, are trying to expand Schip, which already provides essential medical care to millions of children, to cover millions of additional children who would otherwise lack health insurance.

But President Bush says that access to care is no problem — “After all, you just go to an emergency room” — and, with the support of the Republican Congressional leadership, he’s declared that he’ll veto any Schip expansion on “philosophical” grounds.

It must be about philosophy, because it surely isn’t about cost. One of the plans Mr. Bush opposes, the one approved by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the Senate Finance Committee, would cost less over the next five years than we’ll spend in Iraq in the next four months.

--MORE--

[rodeodance]

1. ever show up in the ER without insurance?--besides the physical problems

you have, you most likely will leave a very low self -esteem.


lets tell jr. to go the er next time--without his insurance card!

[enough]

2. Link?

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. oops sorry

http://mparent7777-2.blogspot.com/2007/07/immoral-philosophy-paul-krugman-health.html

[rodeodance]

3. paul---its bout socialized medicine on the shores of the USA!

.....It must be about philosophy, because it surely isn’t about cost. One of the plans Mr. Bush opposes, the one approved by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the Senate Finance Committee, would cost less over the next five years than we’ll spend in Iraq in the next four months.

[Mandate My Ass]

4. His excuse is that families will "opt out" of private insurance

and opt in to CHIP. He'd rather families not be able to eat and pay utilities so they can keep funneling money they can't afford to the wealthy healthcare CEOs. Besides, I'd imagine you have to prove need to qualify for CHIP, so what's the problem here? :puke:

[BlooInBloo]

5. Link to column...

http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/

[applegrove]

6. Great link.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Sorry too late to edit

http://mparent7777-2.blogspot.com/2007/07/immoral-philosophy-paul-krugman-health.html

[applegrove]

11. No. The link worked fine. I just wanted to thank you. I should have said

"great post!"

[valerief]

7. The "I'm Rich And You're Not" philosophy. nt

[Vinca]

8. The new puke talking point is that families with 4 children who make

4 times the poverty rate ($80,000) shouldn't have access to SCHIP. Now, I'm sure the $80,000 is gross pay, not what a family actually brings in. In any case, we're not talking Paris Hilton money here. Four kids = lots of money going out and if one of them happens to have any sort of medical condition insurance might not even be available at any price. What's with Republicans anyway? They gleefully fund wars, but almost as gleefully allow their fellow Americans to suffer without adequate health care.