The continued road to serfdom summed up in one headline

Craig Hall, Publisher
Craig Hall, Publisher

Of all of the headlines that didn’t surprise me one iota over the past few weeks, only one was the absolute least surprising. No, it wasn’t one from the Democratic National Convention about giving away more and more of our tax money on vote-buying schemes. No, it wasn’t about how unquestionably corrupt Hillary Clinton is while Democrats ignore it. No, it isn’t one about how a power-hungry narcissist is or isn’t going to make America great again. Not even close.

It was this one: Rocky to sell to largest insurer

Just as predicted, the insurance industry is consolidating “to better serve us.” I use quote marks because consolidation never helps individuals, only those consolidating. After all, just who do you think had ObamaCare written, ready and waiting for it to be proposed in Congress? Hint: It was America’s largest insurance carriers. Likewise, who do you suppose was behind the SB11-200 health care exchange bill before was introduced in the Colorado Legislature? I’d guess it was the same folks who benefited from ObamaCare. And yes, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, was (and still is) indeed one of those players.

Just like when someone says, “all of government is corrupt and in the pockets of big business, just not my representative,” since ObamaCare, Rocky Mountain Health Plans and its supporters have been part of this new road to single payer since day one. And while some of things work well for a time, the basic unfairness and inequality in any socialistic system will be its demise in the end that hurts the individuals who pay. Rocky Mountain is no different as this story shows. Because in the end, socialism kills innovation and competition, is rationed only for the select few who vote properly or are connected and it always ends up in government control — because people will demand a savior. 

Don’t believe that Rocky is part of the system? Let’s go to the heart of the story. The people supporting this sale are already saying it will end up lowering costs and creating competition — just as ObamaCare promised. I have two simple questions. Under ObamaCare, have costs gone up or down? Have our choices for coverage increased or decreased? The obvious answer is things are worse, especially for those who have to pay. And now we’re supposed to believe that this sale will help the individual, just like ObamaCare? Just how do we get more competition by killing off the largest insurer in rural Colorado? Not enough for you? How about how all of the sudden the “profit-driven” model for health care is the model of the future, after being sold that non-profit Rocky was “the model” for the national system and that profit is “bad” in health care? Obama even came here to promote Rocky as the answer to all of our health care woes. It’s not a coincidence. It’s part of the plan.

Want more? We’re being told that Rocky won’t change anything in terms of service or products as the result of the sale. No Kidding. Since ObamaCare began, the federal government pretty much tells insurers what they can do, and price increases and less service are now the norm. But the ultimate tell in the sale is the insistence ObamaCare was not the reason for Rocky’s inability to cover costs all while saying the demands, regulations and policies of ObamaCare in its exchanges are indeed the reason Rocky can’t cover its costs. As a case in point, there was one plan Rocky offered under ObamaCare that cost twice what it collected in premiums.

And surprise, Rocky needs a savior. Enter United Healthcare. And while United Healthcare won’t get absorbed until the end, it will continue to profit in raised rates and government subsidies until the very end, when another savior will be needed; and that savior will be the federal government under single payer. But the real reason is government needs the cash flow. And government accomplishes that by making health care a budget item — which always leads to rationing. So you better get your party affiliation and loyalties in order if not for you, at the very least for the kids and grandkids. If you don’t think the feds dole out favors based on loyalties or voting, then you haven’t researched the Great Depression and FDR very well. And while Hoover shares some blame (as all do-gooders do, like our Republicans in Congress who assisted in creating this health care mess), it was indeed FDR who took things from a good depression to a great one.

So where does this leave us? My guess is this ends with the passage of Amendment 69 as a takeover of health care by the state. And from that single payer through the federal government. And yes, this Rocky sale will be used as a reason to pass Amendment 69. I’ll be curious to know who eventually comes out and backs this sale and compare them to who’s backing Amendment 69. But I won’t be surprised if they’re the same players. And they’ll call people like me crazy and not caring about others as a distraction, all while moving toward their desired end.

Because their true goal isn’t health care for everyone; it is in controlling and profiting off of everyone’s health care as the ones in charge.

And in that end, we all lose.

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