Healthcare policy

A major national daily carried a story of a proposal for a government-only provided healthcare plan. It includes getting rid of Medicaid, Medicare and would cost the taxpayers more than $40 trillion over the next 10 years. We’re part of Medicaid and Medicare, thus it’s good to know what’s the score on this plan.

The proposal would eliminate private insurance firms while killing nearly two million jobs across the country. Some important facts include the following:

(1) The bill “doesn’t include a price tag or specific proposals for financing the new system, which analysts estimate would cost about $40 trillion over the next 10 years, according to a Town Hall story.

(2) Via NBC News, “The legislation’s most contentious provision would end private health insurance and replace it with a government system.” Yes, virtually all private coverage would be outlawed, forcing every single American into an innovation-crushing, government-run system. Approximately 177 million Americans currently receive private health insurance, either through their employers, or directly from insurers.

“The vast majority of these people are satisfied with their coverage, according to Gallup. All of these people would be uprooted from their existing plans and funneled into the federal bureaucracy.

The elimination of privately-run health insurance firms is seen by some experts as a “wrecking ball”.

Has the CNMI registered its concerns with this plan or “not yet, already?” Interesting, though, a plan where the American Dream is complemented with handouts! Nah! It’s too important an issue to sink as a consequence of political miscalculations.

Fatal lull: With eerie dead silence we retreated to the silent corners of our mind to ponder the beastly echo. It finally arrived in the form of various announcements reflecting our financial posture may be in shambles or do we localize it declaring, “not yet, already?”

For instance, I wasn’t sure how to take the announcement that retirees may not be paid their 25 percent sometime next year, given the NMI’s wobbly financial posture. Alternately, I was confused then amused at the disoriented tidings!

When would our esteemed men of wisdom admit that our fiscal posture is in dire straits? More importantly, what’s your plan of action to reconcile the effects of serious economic contraction? Or is it an issue that conveniently escaped your nimble mind while basking in disorientation? It still is the economy, right, sonny?

The recent exit of Nippon investments ($7 billion) should have raised a huge red flag, warning to the elected elite that the comfortable rug is no longer under their feet. Would anyone with any decent depth of perception treat this as a fly by cotton ball? People: it funds and supports basic services and the quality of life for people you represent. Yet, you stand idly by as if it’s inconsequential!

Then there’s the infinitesimal wisdom to saddle consumers a bit more on utilities. Isn’t it true that nearly 15,000 employees are earning poverty income today? Why would you sink them further into the swamp of abject poverty?

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Gone! For most politicians here the exit of Nippon investments from the islands seems “business as usual.” They stand idly by when our house is on economic fire. Whatever happened using depth of perception in this case? Did you leave it in your back pockets, again?

Take a more critical look of the implications of a $7-billion loss. Wasn’t there an announcement to cut expenses given the $7-million shortfall for the first quarter of this fiscal year? Didn’t the NMI recently incur a $25-million deficit? Given the continuing pile of debts, the prospects of maintaining healthy fiscal posture ahead is woefully dim.

Encouragement: Encouraging our people to engage in small business investments ought to open the pathway for private industry expansion. A step in this direction should create more jobs and opportunities for employees to expand their income.

In simple terms it’s known as “startups”—small businesses that foster jobs and wealth creation. Their establishment adds revenue to the local coffers via taxes paid employees and business gross receipts tax. It’s issue now being critically reviewed in nations with advance economies to ensure continued growth.

I know that the hold back could be in the fact that the indigenous people never had a culture of entrepreneurship. But this just as good a time to make timely shift to rein in more income via a small family business.

There are funding opportunities for business startups including CDA and Farmers Home programs. A sense of courage and a willingness to break out on your own should get you exploring how to secure funds to begin a new business.