Stimulate THIS: $19 billion for "electronic" health records. Supported by AHIP, the lobbyists for the insurance industry. And instead of putting federal money where his mouth is...for instance doing away with HIPAA that ridiculous organization that is part of Health and Human Services that has never had occasion to find any offense worth fining for any privacy breach because...IF YOU WANT COVERAGE INSURERS CAN ASK TO SEE ANYTHING, Obama just throws these dollars around.
First, as recently as 2/15/09 reports of the lack of PRIVACY for everyone using the Internet have made news. With that in mind, with all DUE respect, three suggestions for Obama to man up and keep his word that all Americans will have access to the same great insurance his family has as federal employees:
1) Trim the fat in government and start with HIPAA...privacy concerns are forfeited if you want to get insurance coverage and putting health records online will further erode any possibility of identifying a single offender in the event of privacy breach therefore, all PRIVACY programs at the Federal level are a waste of money eg HIPAA
2) Suspend the giveaway that is the expense of government benefits packages for Federal civil servants at every level who have enjoyed superior benefits to the people they serve for DECADES. Suspend these programs for benefits elections of 2010 and let our government civil servants EXPERIENCE what they IMPOSE, the crisis may see some real action at that point
3) Throw some amount (maybe not the $19 billion being issued by the government to achieve the "savings" of becoming electronic) but SOME amount at programs that subsidize health insurance for VOLUNTEERS and Part Time Workers. In a bad economy that preaches the VALUE of volunteerism and part time employment, our society should help subsidize these valued workers.
Health Insurance: Keep it Simple and demand that the Federal government lead by example and tighten its belt.
