Biden on Health Care

Here is a link to Biden's campaign website and his "web bites" on the issues. I've identified three major issues for me in the coming campaign. Below is Biden's blurb -- and it isn't much more than that -- on health care.

For the record, when I called for a published approach to the issues, this is not what I meant.

Health Care

Joe Biden believes that to protect jobs, compete in a global economy and
strengthen families we have to have to address out-dated health care system.

Right here, Biden is losing me. Health care is the primary issue. It stands alone, it is not a supplemental issue to jobs, global economy, or family. Health care may arguably be involved in those issues, but in his first statement he's subordinating health care as an issue to tired political rhetoric.

The next president will have to deal with two challenges: containing the
growing costs of health care and providing access to the 47 million Americans who don't have health insurance.

Again, I think he's missing the boat. The issue of health care is first about access, and that includes accessibility for ALL. What Michael Moore's film makes very clear is that just because you have "coverage" does not mean you will receive care. What's more, providing "access" to health care is not the same as "providing" health care. This is an example of equivocating.

Joe Biden believes we need to take three steps to contain the cost of health care: modernize the system, simplify the system and reduce errors.

At the risk of offending Mr. Biden, duh! What does this even mean? The first step is to reduce the influence of the health care industry on Capital Hill. As a candidate, Mr. Biden needs to step up and demand that all contributions from lobbyists be returned. Our government officials cannot enact the change that America needs if they are beholden to Pfizer and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

He supports the transition to secure electronic records so that people
can provide their doctors and nurses with vital medical information in real
time. He believes there should be a uniform, efficient system to submit
claims.

This is not the problem with the health care system and Biden is missing the boat. Further, electronically stored medical data only strengthens the control of the insurance companies by providing a medical history upon which they can deny claims. Biden here is focused on the cost of health care, not the quality of health care. This is a clear indication to me of where his focus is.

Joe Biden believes the path toward a 21st century health care system starts
with the most vulnerable in our society. He would expand health insurance for
children and relieve families and businesses of the burden of expensive
catastrophic cases.

An emotional rhetorical move here, the implication being that if you oppose Biden, you oppose health care for children. And what is "catastrophic?" What about simply giving birth or having a gall bladder removed?

He supports states that are pursuing innovative alternatives to make sure
that everyone has access to health care and believes we should use data from
these states to evaluate what works best in providing affordable access to
health care for all.

This is tantamount to saying, "The issue needs more study." No, Joe! The country cannot wait on this issue. What's more, this is not a state's rights issue. This is a national issue and should be standardized. And again with the "affordable" and
"access."

I realize that political figures at this stage of the game are focused on broadening appeal, but if you sift through this little web bite what becomes clear is that Biden is communicating his position on the costs of health care, not the quality of health care.

While I do not accept that cost is the most important aspect of the issue, if you frame the issue in terms of cost, then you must first determine whether the cost of health care is reasonable. To do that, you have to define reasonable. Are multi-billion dollar profits reasonable?

I do not believe that a market-driven health care system can be fixed. It requires strict regulation. I'm not seeing any of that in Biden's little web bite. This does not preclude my examining his position further nor voting for him, but it does mean that on this issue I have not yet found my candidate.