Health care is not a right, but, often it is a necessity. Mostly, it comes at an inconvenient time. Over my lifetime somewhere near a $100,000 was put into health insurance in my name. When I lost my health insurance, I was not able to call upon that to help cover my expenses. (If you want to get rid of a health insurance salesman, just, say diabetes.) Medical bills are overinflated, because, medicine has to pay for the must treat government mandated users. Health insurance is covering the uninsured and is already taxing everyone who buys anything as a pass along business expense.
A solution is to add a tax onto all products to cover health care, so that, when Jose buys a Grande Mac he is paying for health care. Jose is doing this now, without a tax, but, since, private health care has to make up for Jose not paying his fair share, in higher prices for that Grande Mac. The government’s problem with corporate health insurance is that it is not taxed and is a business expense passed onto the consumer. Taxing brings in the intrusive hand of government, who will tell Jose he cannot have that Grande Mac because it is unhealthy.
My solutions:
1. Tort reform. (A side affect or socialization, since you can’t sue the government or its employees. So lawyers, you better support reform instead of nationalization.)
2. Universal access, but, let the market determine rates.
3. An FDIC like fund where insurance companies can purchase catastrophic insurance and fund the uninsured.
4. Keep the government out of decisions.