No thanks on reform vote

I do not thank Indiana 9th District Rep. Baron Hill for voting for what is likely to bankrupt the country.

As a health care professional, business owner and a student of government, my perspective would hopefully be valid. I have several comments about Robert Schmielau’s letter to the editor (Nov. 23 editon of The Tribune).

First this bill is not deficit neutral, whatever that means. The cost is in the trillions and will be passed on to small business no matter that in doing that we choke the last growing portion of our economy with that debt. How will the government expect to reduce costs? That’s simple — with the rationing of health care.

The $1,000 cost of the emergency room visit is a result of misuse of the ER by everyone and in particular those with no insurance as they can not be turned away and have no means to pay. This situation causes the hospital to pile the cost of all the nonpayers onto the payers. The increase of cost for doctors and hospitals can be linked to this and malpractice insurance.

The cost of prescription drugs at the wholesale level can be linked to two facts. One, the period of time a product is on the market with patent protection has been severely reduced causing the company innovating the new drug to have a shorter time to recoup research costs and (here comes the dirty words) make a profit, hence costs rise at the wholesale level.

Unseen taxes — the FDA charged each facility making prescription drugs $264,000 per year in 2006 in 2009 it had increased to $492,000. Could your household take that in increased “taxes” and still stay in business?

There is a quote from a study performed at Harvard funded by a left-leaning group that health care costs is the leading cause of bankruptcy. Under further examination of the paper and by referencing several other articles from the Internet on the subject, the paper noted admits job loss before medical bills piling up from an injury or debilitating illness is the root cause.

My company spends 13 percent of payroll cost on insurance to assure our employees are covered for health care. We strive to keep costs down by educating our employees and stressing prevention. The plan I currently have for my company is viewed as a “Cadillac” plan and my company would be taxed for providing the plan. What a wonderful disincentive to provide a benefit.

If you have any friends in Canada, England or other countries with socialized medicine, ask them how it has worked for them? Not so well, I would expect, according to the people I know.
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Jerome “Jerry” Mincy is a Seymour resident. He is an owner of JLM Pharmatech, a Seymour drug maker and packager.