Not Leaving a Shallow Footprint

You can’t change the instinctive behavior of wild animals. When I am camping or hiking, I avoid actions that entice wildlife to react aggressively towards me. I leave a shallow footprint and hope to pass unnoticed.

A prudent government takes this same approach with its citizenry. Nowhere is this concept more obviously ignored than in implementation of the health care law. A group decided that they could reconfigure the insurance industry and extend coverage to everyone. Policy requirements were designed by lawmakers and advocates.  One example of their wisdom: avoid price discrimination against women by requiring all policies to include maternity coverage, including men’s.

Policy premiums once based on age, sex, health experience and benefits are now priced only by age and benefits. To pay for the relaxed criteria, prices and deductibles have necessarily increased.

The initial targets of the new law are those who own individual policies. Anyone who purchased a policy or made any changes (deductibles or copays included) in the last three years can no longer keep their policies. The plan requires an influx of participants to offset the cost of those who have preexisting conditions and the individual policy holders are the first in the crosshairs.

Citizens who agree with this approach could band together, form an insurance co-op and market their ideas to like-minded individuals. They have decided to impose their concept upon their fellow citizens. An architect of the current health care law said that this disruption in the individual market affected only 5% of the population (several million policy holders) and was a small but necessary step to achieve universal coverage.  I guess you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs! It is tough if you are one of the eggs.

People instinctively do not accept laws against their self-interest, regardless of how it is packaged. Lawmakers have not left a shallow footprint. This behavior doesn’t work with wild animals and will not work with the citizenry either.