Captives of Health Care

For many years, tax revenues have been reserved for Ventura County Medical Center to provide quality care specifically for the uninsured and the indigent. There has been no official change in this policy, however, high-level hospital employees have taken the liberty to extend the services of the hospital to about 7,000 county employees and to act as the sole providers of their health care.

County employees are neither uninsured nor indigent. They earn health insurance and other benefits as a part of their employment. Nonetheless, it must be recognized that taxpayers pay for their employment and, indirectly, their insurance. In addition, taxpayers pay for operational costs and underwrite the capital invested in the facility they will be using.

There is no question that providing medical services to a group such as the 7,000 county employees who are in the prime of their life and have few serious health problems is a brazen example of “cherry picking,” a practice in which private insurance companies are roundly criticized.

Moreover, the agreement with the 7,000 county employees resembles the old company store created to hold captive the paychecks of company employees. It is not inconceivable that state, federal and city employees will be the next captives.

Is this what advocates of health reform refer to as “spreading the risks?” “Free choice?” “Establishing a competitive market that promises to reduce medical costs?”

VIRGINIA GOULD

Ventura