This is the cure for Medicare and Medicaid too. Instead of CMS rules and regulations, just give poor seniors and those with clear disabilities a $50,000-per-year healthcare account in the form of a debit card. Of course there'll be monthly premiums to keep costs down - but no more deductibles, co-pays, and other BS. Unused monies won't carry over - whatever the existing balance is will be added to the X amount to bring it back to the $50,000 level. They can use the account to buy prescription drugs (NO MORE "DOUGHNUT HOLE" NONSENSE), dental, medical, vision, nursing home care, etc without the BS. Some FReepers will scream that this is socialism but it's not. This immediately reduces 90% of paperwork and saves billions in bureaucratic costs. The program phases itself out on it's own.
I agree that's not socialism and anything that cuts down on bureaucratic costs cannot be deemed socialist. The only thing is that procedures like by-pass surgery, which is being done now with regularity even on very elderly patients, ends up costing over 100,000-150,000 when you add in all costs. America is getting "Grey"....baby boomers are going to become retirees and health costs are going to sky-rocket. The government, if it does adopt a socialized health care system, will have to become "Rationed Healthcare". Life extending procedures for those over a certain age or health status could get clipped in favor of funding "curable conditions".
$50,000 per year? Where is this money going to come from? Getting rid of co-pays is the wrong idea, because without the patient paying a portion of the cost, he has no incentive to shop for the most effective services, and no incentive not to overuse medical services. Rather, we should move in the direction of a more market-based solution, with services that help the poor afford it--not programs that give it away for free.