Health and Human Services is the largest segment of the US federal budget. It seems logical to go there first to balance the budget. This is also an area that appears ripe for reform. Obamacare was the current administration's attempt at reducing costs here. Of course, politics got in the way.
It was never really specified exactly what goal or goals were being pursued with the healthcare reform legislation. At first, we were told how many million folks in America had no health insurance. Then, it was pointed out that a bunch of those folks were illegal aliens. Next the goal shifted to saving money in providing healthcare for the uninsured. At some point, President Obama said that we could eliminate enough waste and fraud in Medicare and Medicaid to pay for insurance for the uninsured. Do you believe any of that gobbledy goop? It sounds like the typical MessAPolitico.
Why did we need a healthcare bill to cut out waste and fraud? Why didn't the president just appoint one of his czars to root out this waste and fraud and get rid of it? Why not have the justice department go after healthcare providers that are committing the crime of fraud? Why not hand out huge fines or jail sentences that would deter fraudulent activities?
In reality, there is a bunch of waste and fraud in Medicare and Medicaid. The problem is that government doesn't have to compete to "stay in business." The bureaucrats just don't have any incentive to cut waste and fraud. That's why we should get the government and bureaucrats out of the healthcare business. So how did Obama and the liberal politicians think that expanding the government role in healthcare would reduce cost, waste, and fraud? Maybe they're just out of their frigging minds. Or maybe, they are more interested in playing to their constituencies than in doing what's right and best for America.
I would propose again that the federal government can reduce the cost of Medicare and Medicaid drastically without changing the benefits offered. How? Privatize it. Get businesses that are competing for a profit and a chunk of this huge market opportunity to administer these programs. Barack Obama may be afraid the cost of their profit will increase our costs in Health and Human Services, but the value they bring in reducing waste, fraud, and overhead will far exceed the cost in profits.
No balanced budget amendment will work unless this program is changed. If we keep our collective heads in the sand, these programs will eventually go away for everyone when the country reaches bankruptcy. Fix this MessAPolitico now or it goes away later.
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