CBS's "60 Minutes" ran fairly long interviews last night with both President Obama and Mitt Romney, and the latter made some news with answers on tax policy. While they're likely to have a political impact, substantively, the Republican's answers on health care were even more striking.
Following up on Friday's release of 2011 tax returns, Scott Pelley asked whether it's fair that Romney pays a lower federal income tax rate than "the guy who makes $50,000." The Republican conceded it's a "low rate," but nevertheless said it's fair -- the reduced rate is the "right way to encourage economic growth -- to get people to invest, to start businesses, to put people to work."
This is no small admission. The multi-millionaire candidate pays a lower tax rate than most of the middle class -- and the rate would have been even lower had Romney not artificially inflated it purely for political reasons -- and if elected, he'll fight to keep it that way.
But this exchange on health care struck me as every bit as interesting.
Pelley: Does the government have a responsibility to provide health care to the 50 million Americans who don't have it today?
Romney: Well, we do provide care for people who don't have insurance, people -- we -- if someone has a heart attack, they don't sit in their apartment and die. We pick them up in an ambulance, and take them to the hospital, and give them care. And different states have different ways of providing for that care.
Pelley: That's the most expensive way to do it.
Romney: Well the--
Pelley: In an emergency room.
When it comes to health care policy, this might be one of the more important moments of the presidential race. Romney doesn't believe the United States has a responsibility to provide health care coverage to its own citizens -- the Republican Party is the only major political party in any democracy on the planet to hold this position -- but he does see emergency rooms as an avenue for caring for the uninsured.
And as a policy matter, that's deeply absurd.
Long time readers may recall this is a long-time focus of mine, but so long as it keeps coming up, it's worth setting the record straight from time to time.
It's true that under the preferred Republican system -- American health care before the Affordable Care Act passed -- if you're uninsured and get sick, there are public hospitals that will treat you. As Romney noted on camera, if you have a heart attack, you can call 911 and medical professionals will come get you and give you care.
But it's extremely expensive to treat patients this way, and it would be far cheaper, and more medically effective, to pay for preventative care so that people don't have to wait for a medical emergency to seek treatment.
For that matter, when sick people with no insurance go to the E.R. for care, they often can't pay their bills. Since hospitals can't treat sick patients for free, the bills can still bankrupt those who get sick, and the costs are still passed on to everyone else.
In other words, it's the most inefficient system of socialized medicine ever devised.
And in the bigger picture, it's worse than that. For those with chronic ailments, this position is a pathetic joke -- is anyone going to stop by the emergency room for chemotherapy or diabetes treatments?
Romney's argument isn't a responsible approach to American health care in the 21st century; Romney's argument is ridiculous.
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Hmmmm. At the hospital I work at. 64% of ADMITTED patients are Medicare, 30% are Medicaid/Indigent care and the other 6 percent are people with insurance. And that is admitted. ER patient population is more to the tune of 1% with THEIR OWN insurance. And ANY person that may not have insurance is given assistance to get on the government teet and given 50% off anyway. We already have socialized medicine, if socialized mean payed by the government, which means payed for by the working class people. Hospital "prices" would not be so expensive if all the people we see on Medicaid would not bring their family of 5 to the ER for a cough, or show up every other day because of continuous minor complaints that are easily treated at home with tylenol. NOt only is it more expensive, it delays care for people that actually MAY have a LIFE or LIMB emergency.
Romney is all wrong regarding Emergency Rooms being the answer for sick people. I have worked in a Hospital since 1965. A few years ago local Hospitals and Medical Centers closed because everyone was going there for care and the centers and Hospitals were not being reimbursed.Patients are responsible for the cost of their visit. It is not FREE, but if the patient has no money and the State refuses to pay, the Hospital is in the RED. An average ER visit can cost well over $1,000.plus dollars. We do not turn away patients, this is Illegal and Inhuman. However we are a small town and I have heard nightmare stories about NY city. Patients not being seen at private Hospitals and sent on to another. If you are having a Heart Attack, Stroke or any Medical Emergency it is critical that the patient is seen and treated immediately. Then you worry about paying for an Ambulance. If the Hospital ER is overcrowded many people will die. He is a Fool who has no idea what he is saying. Vouchers will not work because Insurance Co.'s will be obligated to pay just so much and the patient will be responsible for the rest. Not too many Seniors or the fellow American's has money to spare for this. Hospitals are going Bankrupt and taking people to Creditors to cover their visits. Preventative Care is being pushed by Hospitals by having your own Physician. Patients would prefer a personal Physician who knows their Medical History. . ER's are for Emergencies not a replacement for your own Private Medical Professional. If he cuts aid to Planned Parenthood, patients who need Breast Mammogram's and other treatment for Female Abnormalities will loose their coverage. Having just retired from a Hospital Breast Center, I know the Patients who were sent to us for Abnormal findings and Breast Cancer. We have a NY State Grant in place that also helps cover costs. However our Hospital will treat any patient who needs coverage and has no Insurance. We have Compassion and Support these Woman and (Men) who need it. No Romney come out of your Ivory Tower and sit with a woman who just learned at 33yrs. old that she has an aggressive form of Breast Cancer and may not live to see her young children grow up. She won't see their first Communion, Prom, Wedding all the things a Mom is needed for. She also has no Insurance and will worry about that additional burden. You Heartless , Pompous, Ass. RACHEL, JUMP ON THIS ONE, DO NOT LET HIM LIE LIKE THIS . PLEASE. SOME PEOPLE AR BUYING INTO HIS IDIOTIC IDEAS.
He doesn't get it. He doesn't know. It reminds of Bush I discovering the scanners in a grocery store. Except Mitt hasn't experienced health "care" for the poor or uninsured. I'm sure it has been explained to him, but it must sound as fantastical as some magical device that can "read" your groceries and tally the price.
I sell health insurance and its heartbreaking to see someone that you know is between a rock and a hard place because of their health and not being able to now qualify for insurance. What is not discussed is the personal responsibility to remain healthy. How many billions are spent because people choose to smoke? who dont take the medication for high blood pressure that is prescribed and affordable? who are 40, 50, 100+ pounds overweight? Or how about the woman I tried to write a policy for but she chose not to get it and then called back 5 months later and had to have the insurance on Friday because Tuesday she needed surgery and didnt know who was going to pay for it. You call Romney/Republicans names and judge them to be ignorant and uncaring while so many people refuse to be responsible for their own lives and the decisions that they make. Healthcare is NOT a government responsibility. I spend hours each week caring for my elderly mother with dementia rather than dump her into the medicaid system. Shame on all of you for not taking personal responsibility for your own lives! A concept that too many in America do not understand. Socialism didnt work for the Pilgrims and it certainly wont work today.