“Have you heard of tiny Melinda Mae,
Who ate a monstrous whale?
She thought she could,
She said she would,
So she started in right at the tail…”
- Excerpt from Melinda Mae by Shel Silverstein
Healthcare reform is a “monstrous whale.” The federal government could learn a little something from the childrens’ tale about Melinda Mae. Instead of trying to cram ALL of healthcare reform into one big bill and get everyone to swallow it all at once, smaller bites would be more manageable.
Smaller bites might actually pass.
What Do Small Bites Look Like?
Let’s start with some easy small bites that most Americans are eager to agree on. How about a bill with just these points in it to garner support and get something/anything passed.
- No more pre-existing conditions
- No more pulling of policies for large claims
- Same premium rates for all with premium adjustments only on the basis of tobacco use, age, family size and geographic location
- Banish all attorneys to…erm…I mean…malpractice suit limitations
Those are things most all of us can get behind. Once we get that, let’s go for the next bite. Eventually we will finish the whole whale, or at least we’ll eat what we’re able to stomach.
That’s how Melinda Mae would do it.
Let us know your thoughts on healthcare reform in the comments! Your voice matters.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Exactly right. Over 1000 pages and 546 amendments to the healthcare bill and counting… . Give me a break. I can’t remember the last time I read a 1000 page book and digested every detail in its entirety. Then decided to “amend” it 546 times while keeping the intent and purpose intact. No offense to congress, but I do not trust their ability to get it right if its so convoluted. Start small… what a novel idea!
Great post Robert!