HIPAA Blog

[ Friday, March 28, 2008 ]

 

Who really pays for healthcare? Please read this article. I get so bugged when people say, reflexively, that "the government ought to pay for" this or that. I also get bugged when people say corporations or businesses ought to pay. The government doesn't have money, at least not its own. The government doesn't make money. Any money the government has or makes is actually the people's money. That is to say, it's MY money (yours, too). Any time someone says the government ought to pay for something, they're saying I ought to pay for it. Why not make the person getting the benefit pay for it? Why do I have to pay for it?

Same with corporations. General Motors (or General Mills or General Electric or General Foods or General Steel) ain't some dude with gold epaulets and ribbons on his chest. I never saw General Motors take his big corporate profits and spend them on a new car or an addition to his mansion. If the good General makes money in a particular year, that money goes to the benefit of his shareholders, employees, or customers. On the other hand, if the General has to pay more money in a particular year (say, his taxes are increased), where does that money come from? There are only 3 possibilities (shareholders, employees, or customers), and ultimately the person paying is a living, breathing, human being. If the shareholders pay, they get less money, they won't invest in the company, so jobs won't be created and goods and services won't be provided to people who want to buy them. If the employees pay, their wages go down. If the customers pay, prices go up. But however it goes, however you want to soak "corporate wealth" or "corporate profits" or "corporate greed," you're actually soaking some schumck who has to pay a higher price for his car or groceries or take a smaller paycheck home.

Jeff [11:14 AM]

Comments: Post a Comment
http://www.blogger.com/template-edit.g?blogID=3380636 Blogger: HIPAA Blog - Edit your Template