Fixing Healthcare Versus Healthcare Overhaul
You don’t spend thousands of dollars on an engine overhaul when an oil change and tune-up are all that is needed. The American healthcare system is the best in the world (despite its problems real and politically generated). Two changes that could be written into law in three pages rather than 1990 (even our current legislators would probably read three pages when they will not read 1990 before voting) would be an excellent start.
1. Any time you watch TV for more than a minimum number of minutes you will surely see a Geico, Progressive or All State commercial. Each of these touts cost savings that can be achieved by purchasing your automobile insurance from them. These companies ability to offer policies, not restricted by State lines and statutes, make for real competition. Open medical insurance to this same competition and watch rates go lower.
2. Any change that does not include tort reform is missing huge potential savings. The ability to sue for malpractice should be kept as a viable tool against mistakes, however excessive awards as punishment is not necessary. Even if tort reform saved 1% of the 3 trillion dollar per year healthcare industry that is a significant dollar savings. Add to that the 3% savings of unnecessary tests ordered for malpractice protection and you have enough money to provide a significant portion of the private insurance needs of the uninsured.
A final note on insurance and insurance companies. The democrats (especially Pelosi, Reid and Obama) have attempted to make insurance companies villains. Did you ever stop to think what the average American could not have without insurance? Would it be possible to get a car loan or a mortgage for a home without insurance? When you are able to achieve either let me know. Without insurance only the wealthiest with the ability to pay cash for a car or home would have them. Without insurance the economy would grind to a halt. Now the democrats are demonizing healthcare insurance companies for excessive profits. Only in a socialist mindset would a net profit of 2% (the healthcare industry average profit) be considered excessive.
A note on healthcare fraud. Private insurance companies do a great job of policing fraud. They have too since they are dealing with a 2% profit. Compare that to the 10% loss that Medicare suffered just from the South Florida Medicare fraud exposed on Sixty Minutes this past Sunday. Multiply that by the National numbers and it is another example of what happens when those responsible are not dealing with their own welfare. Private enterprise fires incompetent employees, the government whether it be HHS (Medicare and Medicade) Fannie and Freddie, Social Security the Post Office, just hires more employees which become incompetent as it is the nature of the beast.
When the government runs a program that meets a budget, controls the fraud, and provides the same services that private enterprise provides then we can talk about a government run healthcare system. Until that time how about some reasonable fixes rather than an UNPROVEN (take a look at Romney Care in MA) overhaul.
