Politics 2016--A Shameful Beginning

 

By now, most everyone has heard about Jeb Bush's 1995 revival of societal shaming for unwed parents and their off springs. His clarification reported by Politico says he has evolved and now shifts the blame shame to fathers.  He doesn't retract the statement. In all fairness his clarification may be more harmful to him politically because babies don't vote.

Unfortunately for all, most politicians don't understand or don't want to hear what the Congressional Budget Office and other number crunchers have been telling them since the 1990s.  Pre-natal care, well baby and routine vaccinations and care for mother and child is a drop in the bucket compared to chronic disease and genetic disorders on each end of the age spectrum. 

We have a looming, torrential storm of aging Boomers whose health care needs will surpass all previous records for utilization. To date, no one has put forth a plan that contains costs. The Affordable Health Care Act and its exchanges, if left in tact by the Supreme Court and Congress will see significant rate increases to keep up with the costs of care.  The chronically ill cannot be denied coverage for preexisting conditions and the sky is the limit for coverage.

I recommend USA Today's article, written by Meghan Hoyer on the harsh and heartbreaking realities of the sick caring for the sicker. This is the real takeaway for the blame game being tossed around since the 1990s and it's hitting home now.


Afterthought:

In all fairness to all the politicians running for local, state and federal offices, the above subject is a political hot potato.  According to USA Today, "More than 4 million (seniors)— about 15% — have at least six long-term ailments. Those sickest seniors account for more than 41% of the $324 billion spent on traditional Medicare."

Editorial

One government fund (Medicaid) or another will and does pick up the tab after the chronically ill senior exhausts his/her personal resources. At the rate of $100 thousand per year to care for Alzheimer, Parkinson, end-stage renal failure, some cancer and the complications of diabetes and heart disease, most personal funds are depleted very quickly. Medicare does not cover extended long term care in a nursing home.

In a nutshell, 15 to 27% of the population will always account for the lion's share of health care spending. This is an immutable factor that no private sector insurance can deal with. So, unless policy makers want to revisit the "Death Panel" shock headlines by trying to parse out medical care--the government will have to deal with it.