Free Health Care a Recipe for Insolvency

Although President Obama and his lackeys in Congress recently jammed through a Health Care bill that will nominally require all Americans to purchase health care insurance, the reality is that the federal government will continue to subsidize the premiums for a substantial percentage of the "insured" and the overall costs to the insurance companies and those that are paying their own premiums will skyrocket.

The problem, of course, is that people who have a medical ailment of any kind, will expect that all treatments and prescriptions are explored to return their health to a more optimal condition. These treatments and prescriptions obviously will be very expensive, and will lead to all sorts of fiscal issues for our country.

On a related note, an AP story this morning supports the idea that a lot of money spent on health care is currently being wasted.

"More medical care won't necessarily make you healthier — it may make you sicker. It's an idea that technology-loving Americans find hard to believe.

Anywhere from one-fifth to nearly one-third of the tests and treatments we get are estimated to be unnecessary, and avoidable care is costly in more ways than the bill: It may lead to dangerous side effects."

Practitioners preaching education for patients are quick to point out that they are not talking about limiting patient choices.

"This is not, I repeat not, rationing," said Dr. Steven Weinberger of the American College of Physicians, which this summer begins publishing recommendations on overused tests, starting with low back pain.

It's trying to strike a balance, to provide appropriate care rather than the most care. Rare are patients who recognize they've crossed that line.

There's no talk of watching one's diet and engaging in moderate, life-long exercise however, which are the two best things that people can do to maintain optimal health throughout their lives.

Forcing some people (through taxes, subsidies, etc.) to pay for another's health care is probably the main reason the US is quickly approaching fiscal doom.

Once people figure out that they can have all kinds of tests and medications prescribed for themselves and another person has to pay for it, expect demand for the former to increase substantially (even from its already-high level), and for the federal budget deficit and public debt to explode.