What if we were truly responsible for our healthcare? The truth is when it comes to insurance coverage and cost, we are not “individually” responsible. We get into groups and benefit from those who are healthy to reduce our insurance cost. We want to be in a group of individuals who eat right, don’t drink, don’t smoke, exercise, aren’t overweight; everything that the average American isn’t. We get to benefit from them not using their insurance by way of lower premiums to us. The flip side is; if you are healthy, and do all those things we’re supposed to do, you actually pay higher premiums than you should. You pay literally hundreds of dollars every month and, perhaps, go to your primary care physician once a year for a physical. Your costs are higher while others whine that it isn’t fair they can’t afford healthcare.
Don’t you wish automobile insurance worked that way? Why, those of us that shirk responsibility could take comfort in lower premiums from those irritating idiots that drive the speed limit, use their blinkers when turning or changing lanes and will actually let people in front of them on the highway, and they happily do so I might add. We could drive like a bat out of Hades; who cares if we get a ticket. If someone tries to cut us off, just put a little crease in their fender. After all, we have the right to automobile insurance, and we have the right to have our cars fixed or replaced if we recklessly destroy them…don’t we?
Unfortunately, no.
Why is it we are responsible for our property and the property of others, but we aren’t responsible for our own health? I know, I know, there are a lot of people that have health problems that isn’t their fault. I am also not saying we don’t need healthcare reform; we do. And I realize my satirical comments may be a little over the top, but it begs the question; are we focusing our reform efforts in the right place? We tend to fall into a category of self entitlement instead of accountability. Want reform? Let’s first make Healthcare Reform = Healthcare Responsibility.
—Marty Hudson