Complex and Complicated: America needs to be educated

The health care debate has become extremely complex and complicated. So much so that there is more misinformation than credible information. The fact that our health care system is broken and needs reform is unquestionable. What to do and how to do it is very difficult. The politicalizaton of health care will result in the status quo. That is, lack of access to health care for tens of millions of Americans, and continued rising costs. This seems to be the true goal of special interest and the GOP. Without real reform, we are all in big time trouble. What makes this really strange is that opponents of health care reform will suffer as much as proponents of health care reform. Go figure!

That being said, the following issues must be addressed in order for real reform to take place.

1) Insurance industry must have to compete with Medicare for ALL (public option) in order to drive down costs.

2) Pharmaceutical and medical device companies must have to compete in order to drive costs down.

3) Tort reform must be included in order to increase access to health care and to drive costs down. Professional liability insurance is far too expensive for health care providers to make ends meet. Providers require more protection while patients require recourse to gross negligence. A middle ground must be created so that access to health care will be made available at a reasonable cost. Our finest legal minds should be working on a solution to this signifcant infulence in health care costs.

4) Providers must have to compete for patients in order to drive down costs.

5) Access to health care MUST NOT BE LIMITED. Pre existing conditions, delay in treatment, and denial of payment for health care must be removed from the equation.

6) We must change the way we think about health. We must develop knowledge and strategies that promote wellness beginning with prenatal care and in the schools. This includes how and what we eat, drink, and consume. This includes behavioral health and not just physical health.

7) When treating illness and injury, patients must have some responsibility unless they are totally disabled and have no resources (see number 9 below).

8) If a non US citizen is injured or becomes ill, they must pay for the health care or their country of origin should pay for the health care. An alternative could be international health insurance.

9) Medicare should be expanded to include any American who wants it. We all pay for Medicare through our employment. Those who are self employed pay for Medicare when they pay their taxes. Medicare requires some modification as well. For example, since there would be no more co-pays, insurance premiums, or deductibles in a public plan (Medicare for All), current Medicare payroll deductions could be increased 15%--20% to fund a public plan. Further, Medicare reimbursement to providers must be increased to reasonable levels. And finally, balances between fees for service and Medicare reimbursement must be negotiated to an agreeable level between patient and provider. This will place health care decisions where it belongs between patient and provider and bring free enterprise back to medicine.

10) By addressing issue number 9, there will be an increase in applications to medical school resulting in generating more primary care physicians and specialists. Currently we are on track for major shortage of health care providers in the not to distant future.

11) If the above issues are addressed, all current government programs would be consolidated into one single payor system. VA, Medicaid, Department of Labor, Worker's Compensation, etc would no longer be in the health care business resulting in significant cost containment.

12) There must be review and reform of regulations governing health care. Many of the existing regulations result in increased costs to providers which leads to increased costs for health care. This doesn't count the protections afforded to the insurance industry and pharmaceutical industry. Remove those loop holes and watch health care costs plummet

13) Ameliorate the waste in health care spending. This would save $1.2 trillion and could fund health care for all. The combination of health care insurance executive salaries, share holder profits, reduced waste, consolidation of existing government programs, and competition for policy holders, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and patients would lead to REAL HEALTH CARE REFORM. That is, increased access to health care, significant cost containment, free enterprise back into medicine resulting in education and training of more providers.

14) REMOVE SPECIAL INTEREST FROM HEALTH CARE!!! Senators and Representatives must stop politicising health care and must stop taking campaign contributions from insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and professional organizations interested in maintaining the staus quo.