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Originally Posted by jorgelito
So then, how do we provide high quality care for all without abuse of the system and not busting the bank or raising taxes? How do we make it equitable so that the hard workers aren't paying for the free riders?
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jorge...I've mentioned several ways....state regs to enable more risk pooling by small employers who dont provide coverage to employees, dedicated taxes (like the cigarette tax that funds the SCHIP program), and dramatically improving the efficiency of the current system (mostly through technology).
Hard workers are already paying for the free riders in the amount of $billions of costs of providing emergency (and other) services to the uninsured (who generally refrain from the less expensive option of preventive care) that are borne by hospitals and local governments and passed on in the form of premium increases and/or taxes. You pay now or pay later.
And never forget, today's hard worker could very well be tomorrow's free rider. That change of circumstances does not make that person less "qualified" to have access to basic health care.