Recommendations:
The reason the American healthcare system is in such a mess, is because of government intervention and the third-party payer system. If we reduce government involvement and bring back capitalistic, free market principles, conditions will improve.
- Allow people to buy health insurance across state lines like we do for life, homeowners and car insurance. Competition breeds better service and better pricing. If you think the free market can't fix the problem, you are obviously unfamiliar with the markets for Lasik eye surgery, elective cosmetic surgery, privately run urgent care facilities and services such as portable MRI machines all of which must compete in the free market for customers and all of which have seen dramatic price reductions over the last decade.
- Remove government-imposed mandates on heath insurance companies. Let people buy a la carte policies or major medical policies rather than forcing the insurance company to cover every ailment under the sun.
- Implement portability rules. When you are young, you buy a health insurance policy that sticks with you your entire life regardless of your health. As long as you pay your premiums, the insurance company cannot kick you off the policy because of your health. The system we have now is ridiculous where you lose your insurance when you lose or change jobs. The insurance should stay with the person NOT the employer. When I get a new job, I don't lose my auto insurance! Why should I lose my health insurance?
- Pass tort reform to reduce malpractice insurance costs.
- Promote and encourage the use of HSA's (healthcare savings accounts) - tax-free savings that can be passed down to the next generation. The other benefit is the patient is actually paying for the service rather than a third party. No more $15 co-pays! We should pay $75-$100 to visit the doctor. That will force the consumer to price shop and think twice about running to the doctor every time their stomach hurts. When your car needs new brakes or your house needs a repair, do you make a co-pay? How much does the average American family spend on their cell phone bill each month? $200? Their TV and internet service? $150? Entertainment and eating out? $100? Starbucks? $20? And we bitch and moan over having to pay our doctor $100 to take care of our bodies? How insane is that?
- Allow citizens with pre-existing conditions to join large pools and spread the cost. Most states already have these pools set up. People with pre-existing conditions should expect to pay more for their health care than a healthy person because they use more of it.
- Offer tax benefits to individuals rather than employers for health insurance premiums paid.
- The law is unconstitutional. There is no enumerated power for the federal government to be involved in the citizens' healthcare. Nor can the federal government force citizens to buy a product or service.
- The manner in which the bill was drafted - with no input from Republicans - despite repeated promises by the President that negotiations would be broadcast on TV.
- The manner in which the bill was passed - bribing Senators, using budget reconciliation to get it passed in the House, not a single congressman whom voted for the bill actually read or understood it! As the bombastic Nancy Pelosi said, "We will have to pass the bill to see what is in it".
- The consequences of the law - rationing of care, fewer doctors, longer wait times, death panels, bureaucrats making medical decisions. Look at any country with socialized medicine and study their level of care, wait times, rationing, etc.
- Do you really want your doctor's office to run like a post office or your local DMV? Can you name one government-run endeavor that is run efficiently with the customers' best interest served? Are you willing to turn your families healthcare decisions over to a bureaucrat?
