McCain's Viagra tempest in a teapot
Ex HP CEO Carly Fiorina put John McCain in the hot seat when she made an off the cuff remark about prescription drug coverage.

Her statement is essentially true, and it set off a storm of protest from Republicans who shudder at words like "birth-control" and "choice". McCain tried to downplay the issue by saying that he did not want to discuss it. Fiorina's choice of an example to illustrate the inanity of most prescription plans might have been too extreme for some folks but her point is quite valid. The policies, regulations, and politics that combine to regulate our access to medical care need to be revised.

When it comes to prescription drug coverage there are too many conflicting interest groups that are all trying to enforce their idea of what should and should not be covered. AARP wields a lot of clout and when they got behind coverage for ED drugs like Viagra it was inevitable that they would be included in the formulary. Christian groups oppose birth-control on moral grounds so coverage for contraceptives is limited (but most insurance plans pay for vasectomies, which seems counter-intuitive to me).

The whole concept of mandated coverage should be revisited. Why must every prescription plan cover Viagra? What if some plans did and some didn't? It should be a person's decision to select which plan to purchase. Ditto for contraceptives, if a woman is interested in coverage for them then she can buy insurance that includes that coverage.

We should have more choice in insurance, not less. Mandating coverage for Viagra or birth-control pills is not the answer. People should be free to choose a plan that suits their needs and budget. NJ only allows me to choose between 5 levels of coverage, all with strictly defined inclusions and exclusions. Why just 5? All 5 plans include a whole host of mandated coverages, many of which I do not and will not ever need. Because of this the cost of those 5 plans exceeds what most folks can afford to pay. Poor residents get subsidies from the state and middle class families often have to decide between buying health insurance or food.

A far better approach would be to let people have more plans from which to choose. AARP members can then buy a plan that covers Viagra. I should be able to purchase one that does not.

Posted at 11:24 by Chris   [/election]   | | | Email | del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble It! | Reddit | Link