CaduceusPeople across the nation are currently getting all twisted up in town halls and other demonstrations concerning the Government’s proposed health care reform. The outcry is very understandable because it is an emotional issue that affects all of us and the outcome will have lasting effects on our nation. Every facet of the proposed bill is being argued, but only one single issue is really essential concerning the 1500+ pages of legalese. It is not what is covered, rationing of care, choice, single payer, or whether grandma will be allowed to live to her 75th birthday. The crucial point of the entire bill is where will the decision authority reside after its passage and into the future. Currently, this judgment exists at the point of service with patients and their doctors along with some occasional battles with an insurance company. The question to be answered within the debate is does this authority continue to fully reside with the individual or does it shift some or all of the power over to the Government. The answer to this question can be obscured because it must be determined exactly how much may shift to the Government up front, and how much may slowly be absorbed by them over time due to the system they purposely established to encourage adoption. This is really the crux of the issue because if the individual maintains control then the market will respond accordingly, if the Government gains control instantly or gradually through time, then we could only expect them to bring about all the nightmare scenarios we currently fear. The details of the proposal as it stands right now are meaningless because once control is officially conveyed then bureaucrats will determine the specifics from that day forward. A system will be created that allows them to make any changes on the spot they deem reasonable, or they can incrementally initiate changes that will bring about the same results in due time. During this debate, it is wise to remember that the Government only acquires power through citizens relinquishing it, and once it is attained, they will surely use it with healthcare in much the same way as they used the commerce clause in the past to manipulate our lives and behavior as recently argued.

Simply analyzing the proposal through the lens of where control resides upon its passage should be the foremost objective of this entire debate, and the timing of any attained control is irrelevant because the outcome will serve to the same end. All the other details within the current bill are just distractions that can confuse or be used to influence the public to facilitate passing the proposal. They serve mostly as a red herring because the resulting outcome of the control issue will determine the details that will be enjoyed by everyone except our elite politicians of course. People have to fully comprehend the inherent danger of allowing the Government to control our healthcare despite concerns that any individual’s specific health is not going to be paramount. Regardless of the message being conveyed, our Government has a history littered with broken promises and gross mismanagement because it will serve itself at all costs to include the health of any citizen. Furthermore, not supporting the proposal as currently written does not suggest that healthcare concerns in our nation do not need to be addressed and improved. We only need to debate the prudence of giving our politicians a mandate of control, the specific details will fall into place accordingly upon resolution.