The Conference Coach™

As an employee at an audio and web conferencing provider, Copper Conferencing, I have the opportunity to work with a group of people that understand that change is essential in order to continue to grow.  We are constantly outpacing our competitors by implementing new services and processes to continue to exceed our customer’s needs and expectations.  Working in an environment like this that thrives on innovation, makes me look at the new healthcare changes that our government is pursuing with different eyes.  While change is good, the wrong change can be disastrous.  I believe that the plan currently being discussed is the wrong change for America.

I should disclose that I was raised in a Republican household but feel that my concerns are in line with what a lot of America is worried about right now.  The government is headed down the path to take over a huge and cumbersome industry.  Based on the difficulty that they have historically had in managing costs and spending with almost every program they get involved in, taking on this challenge is not a good idea.  The expected bankruptcy of Social Security is a perfect example of government money management.  The economy is already struggling, and we simply can’t afford to jump into taking over an significant portion of the US economy.  New taxes on small businesses, fees paid by workers and potential cuts to Medicare are not the way to help turn the recession around.  Even an expected proponent of the bill, Joseph Lieberman, has suggested that now is not the time to force this change on America.

I don’t disagree that there are some serious issues with our healthcare system that need to be resolved.  Business is business, both for insurance companies and for medical providers.  I fully believe that both types of business should operate with minimal interference from the government.  Of course, some regulation is required to ensure a proper level of patient care as we have now.  In addition to the measures we currently have in place, what is being suggested in Washington is a complete overhaul of the current system.  Instead of the government coming in and throwing out the existing system and replacing it with a whole new plan, I believe that some smaller measures could go a long way towards helping straighten out the health care industry.  Pricing regulations could be put in place to minimize the difference between the pricing paid to hospitals by insurance companies and prices paid by the uninsured for the same services, instead of replacing the entire system.  Insurance companies negotiate very low rates for services that they pay for at hospitals.  Because those negotiated fees are locked in at such a low rate, hospitals increase the fees that are billed to uninsured patients to make up the difference.  People that choose not to or are unable to pay for insurance should not be penalized for rates that hospitals negotiate with others.  The cost of each patient’s care should be covered by their insurance company or out of their own pocket.  Insurance companies’ bills should not be subsidized by the uninsured.  Even changes like this would be expensive to implement and enforce, but nowhere near the trillions of dollars planned by Washington.

Regardless of the political motivations for politicians like President Obama and former Gov. Palin have for disagreeing over the suggested health care bill, Americans should take the time to familiarize themselves with the bill themselves.  In addition to the tax payer side of me wanting to protect myself from picking up the tab for this program, on a personal level, I do not want the government directly involved in my healthcare.  This bill has the potential to dramatically change America, but if it passes will the changes really be in America’s best interest?

Have questions about Copper Conferencing or need to do an audio conference or web meeting?  Contact a Conference Coach today.