Just Rebrand

Political view on the current rebranding of the White House initatives

 

What happens when nobody wants to buy what you have to sell?

If they won't buy, you repackage and rebrand it.

 

It has been subtle, this rebranding that The White House is doing. Maybe you've caught it maybe you haven't.

 

The Recovery and Reinvestment Act was the first one, watered down to just The Recovery Act.

 

Now it instead of Health Care reform, it is Health Care Insurance reform. It’s small, subtle, but important. It says to me that no one is buying the health care reform bill, especially those pesky Blue Dog Democrats, God love them, they maybe conservatives only hope.

 

It says that Americans are starting to become uneasy about the price tag associated with this bill. It says that Americans are afraid that the government is going to interfere with their choice of whether or not to have health care and yes there are some in the population who simply do not care to have health insurance. It says that people aren’t buying what congress is peddling.

 

 

The Healthcare reform has now been rebranded as Healthcare Insurance reform. The major hinge of healthcare reform, aside from the cost, is the public option, which is losing support by the minute both in congress and in the public. Americans know we already have a government run healthcare system. It is called Medicare, and it doesn’t work, so the focus has been taken off the public option and has been refocused on vilifying the insurance agencies, insurance agencies that “have us take unnecessary tests”, just so they can charge for them. If anyone has had an HMO, they know it takes an act of God to get an “unnecessary” test. Insurance agencies are the subject matter experts on cost containment.

 

Recent polls show that 60% of people who have insurance already are satisfied with the level of care they receive. That is a significant amount to try and do battle against to convince them that the insurance companies are to blame.

 

So far, congress has not come up with a viable way to pay for this behemoth piece of legislation. Some of the suggestions have been to tax the normal fall backs, tobacco and alcohol. Then there was “sugary” drinks and Botox. Then there was the original promise of taxing those making more than $250,000. The final blow, the suggestion that a middle class tax increase was not off the table.  Maybe the promise of no taxes for the middle class will be rebranded to, it hurts to give.

Author's Note

Before I get eviscerated for not supporting health care, I do support a healthcare program for the unisured. I don't support it at the price tag that is being suggested or at the expense of those who are already paying the majority of the taxes, the middle class. Medicare (and the VA for that matter) is a prime example of why the government needs to get out of the healthcare business.

Reviews

[Charles D. Moorer]

I do support healtcare. I am not sure what the final bill will look like and what it will cost. What I do know is that insurance companies make a fortune and then some. Consider for a moment that most people who have health care insurance seldom use their benefits. So that's all that money going into the insurance companies, to their shareholders and to their CEOs. Hospitals said the would give up something, Pharmaceutical companies said they would give up something. But not the insurance companies. If they are doing such a great job, why is it that every year for the past 10 years health insurance premiums have gone up. Copays have gone up and yet when you visit your Dr. you get the same level of and hopefully quality of care, but if you look at what the Dr. actually is reimbursed it is less. who is getting that money?

Why can't employers afford to provide health benefits to their employees simply because health insurers want too much. Look, I don't want to pay any more, but I had to, I would and not just for me. The Republican have framed the argument in such a way that it seem that we are just spending and spending with no end in sight and that Americans will get noting in return. They are shrewd, but keep in mind they have the best health plan in the world. Prior to january 20, 2009, the Republican spent money like drunken sailors on a three day pass, and now they have the nerve to complain about our grandchildren beingin debt. but when they were spending the money, no such concerns were raised.

Medicare and the VA hospital do work, unfortunately, the are subject to fraud and abuse, why because the republicans cut the funding for enforcement during the Bush Administration. The VA works, unfortunately, you have the most incompetent Drs. there, and they are terribly underfunded. I know because I am a VietNam Vet.

Finally, I don't know what it is going to cost, but when you think about it, it's already costing us, and we can't afford it. So if it rebranding or repackaging I am all for it. Immigration is next!

By the way very thought provoking, not just an emotional issue!

[Alya Usman]

Seems more like a factual account to me. But then again, Writer's cafe doesn't offer that.

Your words are truthful, and your describe your message like a professional.

[Lizanne]

I don't have health insurance and I sure don't want the governments. I can die on my own and do not need them to tell me that they will not fund a medical treatment, because I am expendable. It is only their way of controlling the population. They are considering a national sales tax to help fund this health care plan. It is all typical politics, lies and more lies. Taxes and more taxes. Our government is in shambles and we are standing in the ruins. Great write.

[Legion]

Sure 'nuff. Well said.