WATERLOO, Iowa - Back in her hometown Monday, Republican presidential contender Michele Bachmann waxed nostalgic for an era when people were responsible for purchasing their own insurance, rather than being tethered to an employer for coverage.
"When I grew up here in Iowa, we owned our own health insurance. We didn't necessarily have it from our employer," she said.
Uh, Michele? People still have that choice. The reason they go for employer coverage is because that way they can actually afford the coverage. Companies get breaks and enhance competition among insurance providers, letting them provide them at he lowest possible price to employees who choose to utilize those benefits. One would think Bachmann doesn't realize private health insurance is an option we already have. She likes to pretend she is adding a choice when in fact she wants to take one away. Not the first time she's tried this approach.
"I think you should be able to own your plan, so your employer doesn't own it - you get to own it, and you buy it with your own tax-free money," Bachmann responded. She added, "You should be able to set aside whatever amount of your income you need to purchase the kind of health care you need for yourself, for your family."
Hey, if my employer owning my insurance policy means I pay a lot less for it and have better access, I'm all for that. People should be able to set aside whatever amount of income they want. And we should also be able to afford housing and food, but real world economics don't always allow that. It would put health care into the same category as other services the middle and lower class cannot afford.
Not that she cares about them.
[Zandar here. Speaking of Michele Bachmann...]
[These are Republicans, folks. All science is fiction to them.]
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment