Tuesday, October 16, 2007

They chose...Poorly.

Although it's apparently not obvious, when proponents of a $35 billion expansion of the SCHIP program first chose a spokesfamily, they apparently didn't think that folks might have a problem subsidizing the misguided choices that family had made.
At the time, I opined that surely there were more appropriate examples out there, truly poor families who were forced by circumstance to choose between health coverage and meals. So I was relieved to learn that these folks had "moved on" from the unfortunate Frost episode, and found a more "deserving" family.
Don't. I. Wish.
Our new Poster Child, "Baby Bethany Wilkerson" comes to us courtesy of Dana and Brian W. The infant suffers from a congenital heart defect.
And irresponsible parents (gee, what a surprise):
During a conference call sponsored by USAction (a hard-left advocacy group), Dana admitted that she and her husband had long wanted children, and that she had voluntarily quit a job with benefits (including medical insurance) because she was unhappy there. And instead of finding another job with benefits (or at least buying an individual major medical plan), she and Brian chose to self-insure, and now expect the taxpayer to bail them out.
If all this sounds familiar, don't be alarmed: it is.
So I'll ask again: isn't there some family somewhere that actually needs this program? How come its advocates can't find any?
FACT-CHECK UPDATE: Since in this case there's no indication that the parents even bothered to shop for individual coverage, let's see "what might have been:"
[Phone rings]
Agent: Hello, how may I help you?
Dana W: Yes, I'd like a quote for health insurance for my husband and me. We're both 30 years old, don't smoke, and are in good health.
Agent: Great. Since we're on a nationally-broadcast phone call, I'll use Humana's quoting site because they're available pretty much everywhere. I'll plug in a Tampa zip code that I got from Google; if it's the wrong one, the numbers won't be too far off. Of course, people listening in can feel free to use whatever quoting source they choose.
Dana W: That's all very interesting, I'm sure, but what's the damage?
Agent: Well, for a pretty decent co-pay plan ("Autograph Share"), your premiums will run about $132 a month, or about the cost of a latte per day.
Dana W: Hey, that's not so bad. How much more will it be when we add our daughter? I'm not pregnant yet, but we have plans...
Agent: Oh, I understand. Figure about $60 more each month, or a biscotti a day.
Dana W: Thank you!
Everyone listening in: Yeah, Thank You!
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