be able to buy insurance across state lines opening up competition and lowering prices letting people but only catastrophic health plans
Posted on 01/28/2017 9:15:41 AM PST by Auntie Mame
Freepers, let’s put our heads together and figure out how to fix healthcare in the US.
I’ll never forget watching Bill Bradley give a speech many years ago where he spoke with great outrage, saying something like this:
“I was at the doctor’s office the other day and there was a woman who brought in her young child. And the child had to have a shot of penicillin. And I watched that poor mother as she was leaving have to pull out her checkbook and write the doctor a check for $60!” he said with trembling voice.
I believe that until we remove this mind set, that healthcare should be “free” (and we all know that nothing is free), the “health care” problem will only get bigger and bigger.
One day I was driving down the freeway and saw a billboard adorned with the faces of three adorable little boys and underneath it said: “If you’re not going to _______ (insert generic name of medical clinic), you don’t have a healthy family.”
Until we remove the brainwashing that we’re subjected to every day, that you’re not healthy unless you’re going to the doctor, the problem will get bigger and bigger.
And of course, we all know about the incessant commercials on TV advertising disgusting diseases and symptoms. I believe these should be banished from the face of the earth, just like they banished cigarette advertising. It’s revolting, disgusting, and definitely not healthy (another form of brainwashing by the medical complex in this country).
There are large swaths of people who will not or can not pay for their own health care. Let’s start by listing these people because until we consider all the relevant segments of society that use large amounts of medical care or cannot afford it or choose not to pay for it, we cannot come up with solutions. At this point, let’s not judge them, this is not the point of this post.
Please add to this list from your own life experiences. Here’s a start:
1. People who have serious health conditions that, unless they’re millionaires or dependents of millionaires, cannot pay the exorbitant prices charged by the medical complex for their serious debilitating conditions.
2. People who are basically bums, who, by whatever reason, choose not to work to earn money that could be used for their health care (I have a brother in this category).
3. People who work but do not make enough money to pay the exorbitant prices charged by the medical complex.
4. People, such as hypochondriacs, who use inordinate amounts of medical services, and, if given free access to all medical services available, would spend their entire lives doing nothing but going doctor to doctor.
5. People who want others to pay for medical procedures that rational people believe are not necessary for a healthy life, like sex change operations, etc. They believe the medical procedures are necessary but “normal” people do not.
6. The mentally ill.
7. The disabled.
I believe the best way to solve what we’re brainwashed to believe is America’s health care crisis is to let the free market take care of it. But here in America we can’t have people dying in the gutter. It offends our sensibilities. So we need to figure out what we’re going to do about the people listed above.
We all tend to sit back and believe the politicians are going to fix it, but if you were one of those politicians, what would you do?
So another question is, how to get the free market system in health care back?
Pricing transparency. It would be nice to be able to shop around and see ratings on hospitals and doctors like pretty much any other good or service.
Free market capitalism. Interstate health insurance. Gut regulations (which cost billions). Waiting period for preexisting conditions.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Your second question about “getting free markets back” is a good one.
Bottom line is that everything that’s broken about health care was broken by the 0 administration. At least the parts where it is supplied for “free” as a “right” and as post diagnosis.
Tort Reform.
Cut the cost of doing business for doctors and you cut the cost of health care.
Bring back competition. All prices must be made visible.
Anyone who colludes or fixes prices goes to jail.
Those who can’t pay go to the charity hospitals.
Competition, competitive plans and free trade.
I need a buffet style choice plan that is able to cross state lines without the state getting their paws into the process. I would also like to be able to talk to the prospective insurance company instead of going through a middle man. That way I can ask the questions that I need answered instead of a “muddle” person being in the middle of it.
My wife can’t have kids so I don’t need maternity or birth control pills nor should I have to pay for that in a policy. Drug prices are also out of reasonable cost range for two of the prescriptions we take. If they are taking EPIPEN to task then why not others.
Health insurance should be insurance and not coverage. If you want to, or as a benefit your company provides a Health Savings account...Great. Otherwise, health insurance should be a simple catastrophic plan. Otherwise, pay for basic care. Credit can be made available through the doctor if he so chooses. Other health credit agencies will go into business, perhaps by authorizing voluntary paycheck withdrawals etc.
Costs should be readily available. If a $350 test is $250 down the road, people will switch. The market sets the prices, not the whim of the medical establishment. Basic charges should be posted online and have a menu of services.
Doctors can partner with a local pawn shop for patients who would rather barter than pay cash. Lots of options, none of which include the government.
Another thing is doctors with a bias to DO things, simply in order to bill for them. Often the things they do are worse for peoples’ health than the condition they are ostensibly fixing. The word for this is called Iatrogenic disease, and it’s a leading killer in the US.
Maybe we should just enforce Existing Consumer Protection Laws in the Medical Profession, like EVERY OTHER BUSINESS??
And NO they are NO Exemptions for them under Current Law.
Since it’s too late to return to the way it was before this disaster was passed and, now many are addicted to sucking the free stuff udder, lest make everyone who sucks at that udder (all welfare and food stamps) pay taxes.
Get some skin in the game.
What a novelty idea!
Allow all people to write off their premium on their taxes when they do their taxes. Or if they prefer before in the form of tax free spending accounts. We do this with a home mortgage, why not our health insurance.
Secondly: we need to figure out a way to fix the “other people pay for it so I don’t care how much it costs” problem. People will make smarter, free market, decisions if they are invested in the costs of their medical care.
The big problem with price competition is that the product is not always the same, and civilians cannot tell the difference.
It’s like saying what the price of a 4 Door Sedan should be. Is it a 2002 Camry? or a Rolls Royce? A lot of doctors shouldn’t be allowed to practice at all they kill so many patients. Some are miracle workers. They should not be compensated at the same rates.
My doctor doesn't know what my cost will be when I leave his office, but I have to pay it before I leave the building. That's not what insurance should be for, but that is how it's used....
be able to buy insurance across state lines opening up competition and lowering prices letting people but only catastrophic health plans
1. If continuous coverage has been maintained (see pre-Obamacare practices), then you're good. No penalty.
2. If you were under a COBRA plan - all good.
3. If neither of the above: $20K deductible for first 6 months; $10K for next 6 months. Then you're good.
Oh please.
Competition has worked great in medical procedures that patients actually pay for the treatment. That insurance doesn’t cover. Even as technology gets better.
Lazik, cosmetic surgery, etc.
The only way to fix it is to Break up all Medical Monopolies using Sherman Anti-Trust and Wright-Patman.
Once that happens cost may come down as much as 80% and we can save this country. Otherwise we are on a course for Financial Destruction.
When I was growing up in the 60s-70s, health-care insurance was then known as hospitalization. Like other forms of insurance, it covered high-cost, low-incidence events like babies, operations, and broken bones. It did not cover lower-cost higher-incidence events like doctor visits and prescription drugs. It was inexpensive. Policies not provided by employers could be purchased through fraternal organizations. I think we should consider a return to this system. If the uninsured are to be covered by the state, it should be a bare-bones hospitalization-type plan covering low-incidence events only.
Easy.........view it the same as Car Repair.
Most people that go to auto repair shops pay the shop directly. Take the insurance companies out of health care.
You go to a doctor, pay the doctor the standard rate. No insurance company’s approval needed, no middleman, just the Doctor and you.
The Doctor’s would be far richer, and happier, and the market would dictate rates and charges. Hardship cases can submit a request for assistance to the city of residence, for information to contact people or organizations willing to lend money to help them. Clearly, as we have seen over the past few weeks...........If Cities, Universities, etc., all have the money to operate as sanctuary cities then the down-trodden should be well taken care of.
Those that agree to drug testing similar to a FFD program which is not asking too much will be given priority over people that refuse. Personally, I’m all for completely defunding Tax dollars that support abortion, NPR, PBS, etc.,
and let’s strongly vet the Welfare roles for fraud, and corruption.
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