If done the right way, it could be a good thing

"If done the right way, it could be a good thing," says Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex), co-author of legislation to convert Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey from a non-profit to a for profit company.Have scarier words ever been spoken by a NJ politician (probably, but work with me on this). I'm just curious what the Senator means by "right way." Right way for the citizens or right way for the political friends who will make a bunch of money off this deal while millions are forced to pay even more for health care. Since this is NJ, I think we know the answer.

Of course those in charge of this scheme will deny they, or their friends, are going to profit and will be insulted that we're even suggesting such a thing, changing the focus of the argument onto our accusations while dancing around the question of who, if anyone, they know will profit personally. To this I reply LOL!!! (laughing out loud). This state has a well established history of looking the other way when it comes to ethics, at all levels of government.

"When a company goes public, their obligations shifts from patients and physicians to shareholders," notes Michael Kornett, chief executive of the Medical Society of New Jersey. I think we all knows what this means: shareholders will get more money while the citizens of NJ will get shorter life spans as they are denied treatment that they can no longer afford due to higher rates that could keep them healthy. I'm not just talking about treatment to help them cope with chronic diseases, I'm talking about even preventive treatment. Can I prove it? No, but for profit insurers don't have a good track record and if it walks like a duck, smells like a duck and quacks like a duck it's a good bet it is a duck.

Isn't the roll of government to help citizens and not leave them holding the bag? Ok, you can stop laughing out loud now. Personally, I would prefer if my doctor decided if some medication was inappropriate and not a health care administrator . I'm sure the non profit Blue Cross probably already does that to an extent, but I'd imagine a for profit company would do that even more as they had to answer to shareholders looking to make a profit. I don't have a problem with that per se, investors won't invest unless they can make a few shekels. However, a health care plan forced to answer to Wall Street and not to patients will undoubtedly place Wall Street's needs ahead of patients and doctors.

I know little is done in this country anymore for the common good, unless someone can profit. That is especially true in NJ. Still, with all the crooked schemes uncovered by U.S. attorney Christopher J. Christie in this state the last few years, I am incredibly alarmed by this latest plan. When it comes to its citizens health, I do not trust that the state will not go out of its way to willingly place money ahead of its citizens.