Efficient Health Care, Right?

In order to make the case that State-run health insurance will be the greatest thing since....ahhh...sliced bread, the statists proclaim that "it will be more efficient."

After all, there's nothing more efficient than a State bureaucracy, right?

Consider this: When people in the state health programs change jobs, they have 10 days to send in a new statement of their earnings and a form from their new employer on what health benefits are offered.

State law has required the form since 2004. If the applicants miss the deadline, they and their children lose their health insurance.

"That absolutely needs to be changed," Ortiz said. "It's ridiculous."

State officials agree.

"It's been a failure from the beginning," said Jason Helgerson, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Family Services.

In 2005, the law was modified to require the state to send the form directly to employers. That proved even more unworkable. The state, unable to figure out where to send the letter, particularly when a company employs thousands of people, has never implemented the change.

Yah, that's "efficient." Streamlined, even.

Of course, the Illegal Alien Propaganda Machine is also at full throat:

The new federal law requiring people to prove their citizenship also has complicated the online applications.

"It just set up a lot of difficulties for states that were trying to simplify their application process," said Laura Summer, a senior researcher at Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute.

Lemmeeesseee, heah. Enrolling in a commercial health insurance program takes about 10 minutes. Enrolling in the State-run plan can take, oh...90 days.

I think Seth & Co. have a long way to go.