Republican Proposes Patient-Centered Reforms
ByRep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) wrote an op-ed calling for patient-centered wellness. I’ll be speaking with Rep. McCotter on Wednesday. I will be sure to ask him about the Republican proposal for health care reform and the likelihood of the democrats passing a disastrous health care bill. By Wednesday we’ll have a pretty good idea of the mood of voters, especially in New Jersey, Virginia and Upstate New York.
We live in a people-powered world, one which is finally catching up to America’s revolutionary experiment in human freedom and self-government. Therefore, in opposing the Democrats’ fossilized model of government-run health care that usurps self-government, the public and Republicans embrace the communications revolution and a globalized marketplace that disdains and decentralizes massive, bureaucratic entities and empowers people as citizens and consumers. Consequently, we understand health care reform must match – not resist – these economic and communications advances by decentralizing government to provide the sensible, affordable reforms that foster patient-centered wellness, which empowers American citizens to be consumers of health care through transparency and free market forces.
The heart of patient-centered wellness for our people-powered world is prudent, targeted, multi-track reforms that reduces costs by leveraging the communications revolution and market forces to increase the supply of health care amid rising demand. Immediate, obvious measures include reforming medical liability laws; ending exclusions for pre-existing conditions; expanding health savings accounts; providing tax credits for purchasing private health insurance; allowing association health plans; permitting health insurance purchases across state lines; encouraging individuals to insure against changes in health status; incentivizing preventative health care; and applying information technology to enhance transparency and increase efficiencies. All this can be achieved without trillions in new spending, taxes and government-dictated, radical changes to Americans’ current health care.
For the less fortunate and most vulnerable amongst us, there must be an expansion of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which will provide patients with preventive and routine treatment; and end underserved people’s use of emergency rooms for primary health-care treatments. Doctors and other health care professionals can be incentivized to provide their services at these clinics for either immediate or future considerations; and a “Patient Navigator” program attached to each FQHC can assist the underserved in accessing the health care system. This approach will build true, community-based health care and increase the power of economically disadvantaged patients to control their own health care. Finally, people suffering from “orphan diseases” – rare afflictions requiring a lifetime of special care – should be compassionately assisted through our nation’s social safety net. Read full op-ed.
There are some good ideas there. We need tort reform. Health savings accounts are a great way for people to understand the costs of care and actively control those costs. Any tax breaks given to businesses should also be extended to individuals purchasing health insurance policies. Small businesses pooling together for more affordable coverage would help. As far as coverage for pre-existing conditions – there should be exceptions. If someone chooses to go their whole life without health insurance, only to decide to purchase insurance when they are injured or become ill, it isn’t right that others should forced to pay for it. I’d like to hear more details on that one.
Republicans are in a tough spot. The entitlement mentality in our culture seems to be getting worse by the day, and no politican wants to be the one to say no. But if enough of them don’t start saying no, and repeating it often, we may never recover from what Washington is doing to us today, and has been doing for decades. The spending will catch up to all of us and will probably happen sooner than most of us think.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Thad makes some good points, but where are we going? Well intentioned safety nets turn into deluxe perks after a few years of tinkering by polititions from all sides. The control of any program needs to be monitored and all movements of control and monies of the taxpayer should be posted for public view at all times. That should be part of every bill IMHO.
It seems that utilizing the private health industry to get us out of this hole will only dig us deeper in. When I hear folks talk of their fear of socialized medicine, they seem to be mute when it comes to Medicare. The attempt to privatize Medicare (Medicare Advantage) has cost 12-14% more than staying with traditional Medicare.
The insurance industry is the problem, not the solution.
The one point I do agree with is increasing the availability and access to FQHCs. There is no reason why that model could not be used for many more than just the underprivileged.
Luther