Edward Hum – 10/15/09

This page was last updated on October 19, 2009.

Public health-care option could come; Edward J. Hum; Beaver County Times; October 15, 2009.

Mr. Hum was a regular contributor (at least 28 letters) from mid-2004 through September 2007. After about 10 months, Mr. Hum came out of “retirement” to bash President Bush’s Air National Guard service with two letters in less than two weeks. It will be no surprise most of Mr. Hum’s letters have been no more than exercises in bashing President Bush and/or other Republicans. Mr. Hum’s letters are also flame-throwing exercises. I don’t know if Mr. Hum actually believes what he writes, or if he simply likes to stir things up to call attention to himself.

Given his body of work, for a while I wondered what Mr. Hum would use for subject matter now that Barack Obama has become President. At least for the last two letters, Mr. Hum has decided to focus on supporting a government-run, taxpayer-funded healthcare monopoly. Two previous letters in support of a government-run, taxpayer-funded healthcare monopoly are here and here.

Mr. Hum is one of a group of local Republican impersonators (The group also includes Messrs. William A. Alexander, Arthur Brown, William G. Horter, and George Reese.) who write claiming to be disgruntled Republicans. You have to give Mr. Hum “credit,” however, for going the extra mile to further his impersonation. As of September 2006, Mr. Hum was actually registered as a Republican despite the fact he’s no more a Republican than is Dennis Kucinich.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I read in this newspaper that the U.S. spends $7,000 per person per year on health care compared to Germany’s $3,500. Malpractice cost is 1 percent, or $70. That leaves $6,930 for doctors, nurses, hospitals, end of life and administrative cost. We spend twice as much per person to not live as long.”

[RWC] My experience with researching Mr. Hum’s “facts” is you need to be very skeptical. For example, the comment about life expectancy is one of those factoids folks like Mr. Hum tend to throw around, yet even if it were true it ignores the fact a huge chunk of life expectancy has nothing to do with medical care. Genetics, lifestyle, diet, et cetera are all much larger factors in life expectancy.

“We may not get our cost down to $3,500, but I bet we could eliminate a lot of defensive medicine, emergency room visits and find out that CEOs of German insurance companies don’t make $24 million a year.”

[RWC] Funny how Mr. Hum fails to note his side of the aisle opposes medical malpractice tort reform.

“Years ago, we decided that people could send their kids to expensive private schools. For most of us, we set up a public (school) option. If some want a $25,000 private health insurance policy, tax-free of course, that’s fine.”

[RWC] I hate to break the news to Mr. Hum, but there never was a prohibition on sending kids to private schools. I could be mistaken, but I expect the first U.S. schools were private. Also, not all private schools are “expensive.” When I did my research several years ago, I found all the local Catholic schools were less expensive to operate than public schools.

As for the “$25,000 private health insurance policy, tax-free of course,” Mr. Hum fails to note his side of the aisle wants to tax so-called “Cadillac” medical insurance policies. The current definition of “Cadillac” currently covers about 40% of the medical insurance plans purchased.

“I believe that someday my fellow religious Republican conservatives will decide, as we did with education, that there should be a public (health care) option for the rest of us.”

[RWC] Ah, Mr. Hum is back at his “fellow Republican” charade. Now, though, Mr. Hum has upped the ante and apparently claims he’s not only a Republican, but a conservative Republican. Who does Mr. Hum believe he is kidding?

“Especially if we save money. Goodbye, CIGNA.”

[RWC] Did someone at CIGNA kick Mr. Hum’s dog?

Please read my paper entitled “Healthcare.”