What The Healthcare Debate is Really About

The Senate is on recess this week for the holiday, but will return to commence official debate of ObamaCare next Monday. Senator Reid will need 60 votes to invoke cloture and end that debate, and once he invokes cloture, he’ll only need a majority vote to pass legislation. At this point, however, we’re not even debating how to fix healthcare.

Reid’s bill will raise Medicare payroll taxes that will be used not only for Medicare, but to fund future entitlements.

Robert Samuelson explains that ObamaCare would rob the young to pay for the old, perpetuating the cost-shielding that is a main cause of inefficient healthcare spending.

Cato reminds us that our current system makes the U.S. the leader in medical innovation, and that price controls of government healthcare would put that innovation in jeopardy.

ObamaCare would also put a heavy burden on state budgets. How can a state like California afford a 50% increase in Medicaid expenses?

HSAs and FSAs would also take a hit in the Reid bill.

There are seemingly countless reasons not to implement the healthcare system Congress is considering, so why do it? What are the reasons for ObamaCare?

To insure everyone? No, because neither the House bill nor Senate bill would, and even if they did, insurance doesn’t guarantee access to care.

To decrease healthcare spending? No, because we’ve seen even the best estimates for the House and Senate bills predict only minimal savings over ten years, but the bills will likely increase the deficits in the long term.

To regulate the insurance industries and make the insurance market fair? Perhaps, but why spend what could be trillions to do so? Even the public option currently being considered is watered-down and won’t completely serve its intended purpose.

Congress is not trying to fix healthcare anymore. Democrats just want to pass something, as the liberal wing knows that they can get where they want to go later as long as they set the wheels in motion. What Congress is really doing now is trying to find a way for Democrats in red and purple districts to survive passing an unpopular overhaul.

Senator Blanch Lincoln of Arkansas, one of the swing votes on ObamaCare, is facing pressure from both sides in her state. Senator Bennet of Colorado has a similar problem. Senator Landrieu bragged about the $300 million that bought her vote on Saturday. What more evidence do we need to see that Congress is trying to construct a something-for-everyone bill that gives Democrats political cover, even if the bill isn’t what is best for healthcare?

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