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The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare
The Wall Street Journal ^ | August 12, 2009 | John Mackey

Posted on 08/12/2009 12:55:50 PM PDT by Arguendo

With a projected $1.8 trillion deficit for 2009, several trillions more in deficits projected over the next decade, and with both Medicare and Social Security entitlement spending about to ratchet up several notches over the next 15 years as Baby Boomers become eligible for both, we are rapidly running out of other people’s money. These deficits are simply not sustainable. They are either going to result in unprecedented new taxes and inflation, or they will bankrupt us.

While we clearly need health-care reform, the last thing our country needs is a massive new health-care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system. Instead, we should be trying to achieve reforms by moving in the opposite direction—toward less government control and more individual empowerment. Here are eight reforms that would greatly lower the cost of health care for everyone:

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: healthcare; johnmackey; mackey; obamacare; wholefoods
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To: GraceG
Whole Foods sucks, but this is a great article. Well-thought and incredibly well written. "• Equalize the tax laws so that that employer-provided health insurance and individually owned health insurance have the same tax benefits. Now employer health insurance benefits are fully tax deductible, but individual health insurance is not. This is unfair. • Repeal all state laws which prevent insurance companies from competing across state lines. We should all have the legal right to purchase health insurance from any insurance company in any state and we should be able use that insurance wherever we live. Health insurance should be portable. • Repeal government mandates regarding what insurance companies must cover. These mandates have increased the cost of health insurance by billions of dollars. What is insured and what is not insured should be determined by individual customer preferences and not through special-interest lobbying. • Enact tort reform to end the ruinous lawsuits that force doctors to pay insurance costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. These costs are passed back to us through much higher prices for health care. • Make costs transparent so that consumers understand what health-care treatments cost. How many people know the total cost of their last doctor’s visit and how that total breaks down? What other goods or services do we buy without knowing how much they will cost us? • Enact Medicare reform. We need to face up to the actuarial fact that Medicare is heading towards bankruptcy and enact reforms that create greater patient empowerment, choice and responsibility. • Finally, revise tax forms to make it easier for individuals to make a voluntary, tax-deductible donation to help the millions of people who have no insurance and aren’t covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Many promoters of health-care reform believe that people have an intrinsic ethical right to health care—to equal access to doctors, medicines and hospitals. While all of us empathize with those who are sick, how can we say that all people have more of an intrinsic right to health care than they have to food or shelter?"
21 posted on 08/13/2009 11:26:17 AM PDT by rwfromkansas ("Carve your name on hearts, not marble." - C.H. Spurgeon)
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To: Arguendo

The only point I agree with the Dems on is this: ban a limit on pre-existing conditions.

It is just patently not right that somebody can’t be covered just because they had a kidney stone in the past or something (happened to my wife when we had to temporarily get individual coverage in between jobs).


22 posted on 08/13/2009 11:30:27 AM PDT by rwfromkansas ("Carve your name on hearts, not marble." - C.H. Spurgeon)
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To: paltz

You should see the comments @ DU. Heads are exploding.


23 posted on 08/13/2009 11:35:56 AM PDT by NewsJunqui
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To: Paleo Conservative

I used to shop there. No different from any other grocery store and some things are cheaper than Walmart’s ‘grocery store’. I miss Whole Foods Market but I have my own now in my backyard!


24 posted on 08/13/2009 11:38:57 AM PDT by Petronski (In Germany they came first for the Communists, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist...)
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To: rwfromkansas

I should say I would be okay with a small rate increase for those with some severe preexisting conditions, such as heart disease etc.

But, not outrageous and no outright denial of coverage or waivers limiting coverage for a specific condition.


25 posted on 08/13/2009 11:52:34 AM PDT by rwfromkansas ("Carve your name on hearts, not marble." - C.H. Spurgeon)
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To: rwfromkansas

So health insurance companies should effectively be forced to give money to people with severe preexisting conditions who apply for coverage?

What if I just don’t bother to get health insurance now because I’m healthy and don’t want to pay for it. And hey, if I discover I have some condition I can always get coverage then.

It’s called adverse selection, and it means you can’t mandate coverage of people with preexisting conditions unless you mandate that everyone purchase insurance (and even then there are numerous problems).


26 posted on 08/13/2009 12:59:53 PM PDT by Arguendo
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To: FreedomOfExpression

Self-ping


27 posted on 08/13/2009 1:27:26 PM PDT by FreedomOfExpression
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To: Arguendo
Especially since he’s in a business where his many of his customers may intentionally boycott his company if they see this...

And he lives in an ultra-lib town, Obamaustin,TX , so he may be in for a bumpy ride around town, I fear - although most people who know the company well are pretty up to speed on his strong capitalist views on labor & economics - he already gets a lot of grief for them locally.

28 posted on 08/13/2009 3:21:49 PM PDT by leilani
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To: Arguendo

Mr. Mackey’s recommendations make for a far better agenda than the Democrats’ absurd Obamacare.


29 posted on 08/13/2009 3:28:46 PM PDT by snowsislander (NRA -- join today! 1-877-NRA-2000)
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To: snowsislander
Mackey's article is a breath of fresh air.

I'd contribute some serious cash to get Mackey on TV with ads ala Pickens, or even Perot.

30 posted on 08/13/2009 6:55:08 PM PDT by upstanding
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To: Paleo Conservative
Well I go to Whole Foods regularly and don't spend all that much more money than a regular supermarket. The "Whole Paycheck" tag is a misnomer if you know how to shop it.

Obviously you will spend a small fortune at Whole Foods if you buy the prepared foods, the exotic cheeses and the yuppie produce (like the belgian endive).

When I go to Whole Foods, I get eggs, yogurt, raisins, nuts, basic produce like salad mix, apples, blueberries, squash, etc. I basically stick the perimeter of the market and avoid all the high priced processed stuff in the middle. Therefore I get high quality food at reasonable prices.

31 posted on 08/13/2009 7:11:56 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (I am 43 days away from outliving Judy Garland)
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To: windcliff

I’ll start going there more often. The cats love Whole Food’s cat food!


32 posted on 08/14/2009 8:18:21 AM PDT by stylecouncilor (What Would Jim Thompson Do?)
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To: Arguendo

But but! Government is at our door wanting to help us. What do we tell them?


33 posted on 08/14/2009 11:14:49 AM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric cartman voice* 'I love you guys')
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To: SamAdams76

I agree, Whole Foods isn’t necessarily more expensive. They have some high priced items there, but in my area a lot of the produce is actually cheaper than any other market besides ALDI (and the quality is way above ALDI). Their yogurt prices are reasonable, and they have real yogurt there instead of the nonfat artificial crap they sell at the regular market.

Some things there are crazy. I almost bought a very small container of whole wheat cookies there as a treat until I realized they were $10!


34 posted on 08/15/2009 10:30:19 AM PDT by ReagansShinyHair
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To: wafflehouse; Leisler; PAR35; TigerLikesRooster; AndyJackson; Thane_Banquo; nicksaunt; ...
All: this article is a MUST READ.

Also, off-topic, but...did I ever mention that Indiana gals are pretty darn awesome? They have that cute, sweet, innocent, friendly, all-American girl ambiance...which is usually lacking in the folks I encounter in places like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and further north. [That's not to say that everyone from north of Washington is bad, as I've got wonderful friends in places like New Jersey (!!!), and I know some terrific folks from places like Long Island, New York (!!!) but they are usually the exception rather than the rule.]

The only other place that I have found such warmth and hospitality...is in upstate South Carolina.

Dear God, I love "flyover country"...but that's probably because I *don't* fly over Middle America and get in my car and drive instead.

35 posted on 08/18/2009 12:57:13 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 (May God save the American Republic.)
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To: Paleo Conservative

Re: “Have you seen the prices in Whole Foods?”

*************

I’ve seen the goods, and the prices, and the clientele. No thanks to any of it, regardless of what WF’s leader currently says about healthcare.

Here in L.A. where the far left rules, I suppose those WF customers who get wind of this man’s views will rush to abandon Whole Foods and take up refuge at Wild Oats or some other idiotic market chain catering to their tastes.


36 posted on 08/18/2009 1:28:03 PM PDT by CaliforniaCon
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To: Arguendo
Truly. I had no idea he was a libertarian, but this is as reasonable and solidly free-market a proposal on healthcare that I’ve seen. And Mackey is pretty much invulnerable to any accusation he is simply a “greedy capitalist.”

The left is already going after him.

37 posted on 08/18/2009 2:02:30 PM PDT by GOPJ ("Fishy rumors posters" Check 'em out:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2311664/posts)
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To: rabscuttle385

I’m happy to restate my love of Whole Foods!


38 posted on 08/18/2009 3:48:21 PM PDT by TenthAmendmentChampion (Be prepared for tough times. FReepmail me to learn about our survival thread!)
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To: SamAdams76
Well I go to Whole Foods regularly and don't spend all that much more money than a regular supermarket. The "Whole Paycheck" tag is a misnomer if you know how to shop it.

Obviously you will spend a small fortune at Whole Foods if you buy the prepared foods, the exotic cheeses and the yuppie produce (like the belgian endive).

When I go to Whole Foods, I get eggs, yogurt, raisins, nuts, basic produce like salad mix, apples, blueberries, squash, etc. I basically stick the perimeter of the market and avoid all the high priced processed stuff in the middle. Therefore I get high quality food at reasonable prices.

Good post, I agree. I've been shopping there for years, the key is to know how to shop there, esp using their bulk section. Whole Foods also has its own discount brand and good sales across the board. For example, a large brick oven pizza with natural ingredients straight out of the oven for 10 bucks. I got a great deal on a ton of shrimp over the weekend. The specialty stuff is pricey but it's pricey anywhere. I did a price comparison on shelf items with another mainstream grocery store and there was no difference.

It's amazing that any parent (or anyone) would feed their kid or themselves milk, dairy and meat pumped full of recombinant growth hormone and antibiotics. Those products cost more for good reason and Whole Foods has the best selection and offered them at a time when you couldn't get them anywhere else. They also provide a market for farmers to get higher prices for their goods and support local farms. If you're content with large factory farms, more power to you but I'll support locals farm whenever and wherever I can. I have yet to meet a liberal local farmer.

It's funny that people here seem to think it's some hippie or liberal refuge. The is a reason why mainstream stores started carrying natural products and created organic/natural foods sections. There is huge demand for it and it ain't just liberals. I'll take it over a lifeless grocery store full of low quality processed foods any day.

39 posted on 08/18/2009 4:33:22 PM PDT by FTJM
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To: Arguendo
• Remove the legal obstacles that slow the creation of high-deductible health insurance plans and health savings accounts (HSAs).

• Equalize the tax laws so that that employer-provided health insurance and individually owned health insurance have the same tax benefits. Now employer health insurance benefits are fully tax deductible, but individual health insurance is not.

• Repeal all state laws which prevent insurance companies from competing across state lines. We should all have the legal right to purchase health insurance from any insurance company in any state and we should be able use that insurance wherever we live. Health insurance should be portable.

• Repeal government mandates regarding what insurance companies must cover. These mandates have increased the cost of health insurance by billions of dollars. What is insured and what is not insured should be determined by individual customer preferences and not through special-interest lobbying.

• Enact tort reform to end the ruinous lawsuits that force doctors to pay insurance costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. These costs are passed back to us through much higher prices for health care.

• Make costs transparent so that consumers understand what health-care treatments cost. How many people know the total cost of their last doctor’s visit and how that total breaks down? What other goods or services do we buy without knowing how much they will cost us?

• Enact Medicare reform. We need to face up to the actuarial fact that Medicare is heading towards bankruptcy and enact reforms that create greater patient empowerment, choice and responsibility.

• Finally, revise tax forms to make it easier for individuals to make a voluntary, tax-deductible donation to help the millions of people who have no insurance and aren’t covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

In complete agreement. Hallelujiah and Amen!

40 posted on 08/18/2009 5:18:51 PM PDT by GVnana (Sarah for America)
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