Do not adjust your bifocals.
Health care reform aimed at eventually providing universal care is back under President Biden with some rare and unexpected support: groups: Doctors, lawyers and insurers.
What you say?.
ICYMI, in the New York Times National Edition for Thursday — which my wife purchased at the Clairmont Piggly Wiggly — there’s this headline on page A 20:
Health Care Industry Groups Joining in Rare Coalition, Urge Obamacare Buildup.
The Times says the coalition is made up of eight groups, including the America’s Health Insurance Plans, the American Medical Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
These groups historically have been opposed to legislation that would expand health care. It’s the money, they have maintained. We can’t afford it. It is socialized medicine, they said. Never mind that we already have universal care but in a most inefficient way.
The global flu pandemic brings these points into high relief .re front. The pandemic has created billions of patients in need of health/medical care. The industry groups’ constituents were overrun in nearly every way. The so-called best health care in the world — that found in the United States — came up short. We have to do better.
Expanding Medicaid or however you want to create universal health care means more paying customers. So, I salute the industry groups for coming to their senses, whatever the motivation.
In a footnote, it was reported last week more than 30 Blue Cross/ Blue Shield affiliates settled for $2.7 billion in a lawsuit alleging monopolistic practices. I’m sure that settlement was just one more ingredient in the recipe for this new- found cooperative look at reforming health care.
BTW, this national class action suit started in Alabama. Some may remember when AL.com published the salaries and bonuses of the top 10 Alabama BC/BS executives — all were more than $1 million. That didn’t go over top well. with the nonprofit insurer as they slipped in legislation which allowed Blue Cross in Alabama to keep those salary numbers secret.