Healthcare Reform that Doesn't Suck - Part I

Few if any in America feel that the current system of health care can survive and thrive over the long term. But let's be clear about a few things before we fix the majority of the problems...which really aren't that hard to fix.



First, let's agree that the quality of health care available in America is the best in the world. Very few Americans are heading to Canada, England, France, or Germany for the health care offered in those countries. Some very sick individuals will have to travel abroad to use cutting edge experimental treatments not approved by the slow and ultra conservative FDA. Seems like that can and should be part of any "fix" for America. However, far more Canadians and Brits are headed to the United States to use our health care system rather than participate in their own free systems. What does that tell you?



Second, let's agree that the ambulance chasing industry of blood sucking personal injury attorneys adds nothing to the health care system. In fact they are a tremendous drag on the system. An OB/GYN friend of mine has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in malpractice insurance over his career, despite never having been sued nor ever paying a claim. Who benefited from that money? Not the patients, not the doctors and staff. So any health care reform that does not address tort reform and take the jackpot chasing frivolous law suites out of the system is not a serious attempt at reform but is a political system of spoils for faithful donors.



Third, there are millions of uninsured people living in America. Many of them are young people who chose not to buy health insurance. Some are here illegally. Others are destitute and cannot afford insurance and need our help. Any reform that does not help the citizens who cannot help themselves is not viable reform.



Fourth, we cannot mandate coverage for an additional 45 million users of health care services without increasing supple proportionally. Without an equivalent increase in supply, vastly increased demand will overrun supply forcing a system of rationing.



Fifth, a public option to compete with private insurance is insanity. The government runs Social Security - it is now a giant ponzi scheme that will go broke. The government runs Medicare and Medicaid, both of which are going broke and have saddled the USA with trillions of unfunded obligations. The government runs Amtrack and the post office - both of which provide poor service and lose money annually. Get the picture? Additionally, if the government is competing with private health insurance firms, and the government gets to make and change the rules, who do you think will come out on top, despite their performance?



So let's fix the health care problems....okay? Coming in Part II