Unfortunately, the information about who gets denied coverage and how frequently tends to be completely ignored by the press. I have never seen a list for spectrum disorders as to the states that allow autism/AS to be treated as pre-existing conditions.
In my opinion, this is a terrible way to run a healthcare system, and the combination of skyrocketing costs and growing barriers to health insurance access tend to bear that out. We could go any of several ways to improve the system, but as there are no functioning examples of successful libertarian/free-market healthcare systems anywhere on earth, I think it would make sense to study those systems that do exist and that produce better results for less money than does our own. We could then replicate the elements of those that we like best and that fit best with our own cultural ideals. To me this just makes much more sense than relying on some untested theory, philosophy, or gut feeling that the free market will always produce the optimal outcomes in all situations.
Furthermore, I simply don't believe it is realistic or logical to expect everybody to make the best decisions and to seek out the best prices when they fall ill. I also believe that societies are happiest and most productive when they find a way to enable access to healthcare for all.
22 Jan 2012, 9:54 pm
