Comments on: ‘Expand and Economize’ vs ‘Redeploy and Devolve’ http://blog.heritage.org/2008/10/01/expand-and-economize-vs-redeploy-and-devolve/ Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:43:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: GrandDadBuzz, Chapel http://blog.heritage.org/2008/10/01/expand-and-economize-vs-redeploy-and-devolve/#comment-6485 GrandDadBuzz, Chapel Sun, 05 Oct 2008 08:42:27 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2008/10/01/expand-and-economize-vs-redeploy-and-devolve/#comment-6485 At the end of the day the American people need to wake up and understand that citizens have to pay for heath care. Here is a simple 6 Step Solution to the Health Care Problem: 1. Do away with employer tax deductions for employee health care and replace it with a $2,000 tax credit for individuals with income below $150,000. Index the tax credit to inflation. The AMA supports getting employers out of health care too. <a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/363/ehi1012.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/363/eh...</a> 2. Replace Medicare , Medicaid , Indian Health Service, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and full coverage health insurance with a Federal Health Care Credit Card payment system. A credit card would be issued to all citizens. Credit card debt limits and minimum payments would be set based on the income and the net the assets of the card holder. Those below the poverty level would have very low payment requirements, the highest debt limits and the lowest interest rates applied to their credit card debt balance. Those with high income would have high minimum payment requirements, low debt limits and a high interest rate on the credit card balance. To keep demand in check everyone should be required to make a payment per month that they can afford. A minimum payment schedule would be updated annually. The credit card balance would be the first debt paid from the card holder's estate at the time of death. The card holder controls usage and provider selection. 3. Require all health care providers to publish standardized quality metrics and a price list for all services offered. 4. Require only one price for each service or package of services, no special deal pricing or price discrimination for anyone. 5. Tort reform to limit awards and limit lawyer fees to reasonable amounts. 6. Regulate insurance companies requiring them to only sell insurance to individuals and families and only sell at one price for each age group. Do not allow insurance companies access to medical records. Only allow insurance coverage with deductibles above $5,000 indexed to inflation. The individual would use the Federal Health Care Credit Card to pay premiums, would be required to submit claims directly to the insurance company (like car insurance), and the insurance Company would pay claims to the Federal Health Care Credit Card. This would get insurance companies out of the practicing of medicine. With this plan everyone would be covered and consumers would have an incentive to shop for the best value and only seek care when it is really necessary. At the end of the day the American people need to wake up and understand that citizens have to pay for heath care. Here is a simple 6 Step Solution to the Health Care Problem:

1. Do away with employer tax deductions for employee health care and replace it with a $2,000 tax credit for individuals with income below $150,000. Index the tax credit to inflation. The AMA supports getting employers out of health care too. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/363/eh…

2. Replace Medicare , Medicaid , Indian Health Service, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and full coverage health insurance with a Federal Health Care Credit Card payment system. A credit card would be issued to all citizens. Credit card debt limits and minimum payments would be set based on the income and the net the assets of the card holder. Those below the poverty level would have very low payment requirements, the highest debt limits and the lowest interest rates applied to their credit card debt balance. Those with high income would have high minimum payment requirements, low debt limits and a high interest rate on the credit card balance. To keep demand in check everyone should be required to make a payment per month that they can afford. A minimum payment schedule would be updated annually. The credit card balance would be the first debt paid from the card holder's estate at the time of death. The card holder controls usage and provider selection.

3. Require all health care providers to publish standardized quality metrics and a price list for all services offered.

4. Require only one price for each service or package of services, no special deal pricing or price discrimination for anyone.

5. Tort reform to limit awards and limit lawyer fees to reasonable amounts.

6. Regulate insurance companies requiring them to only sell insurance to individuals and families and only sell at one price for each age group. Do not allow insurance companies access to medical records. Only allow insurance coverage with deductibles above $5,000 indexed to inflation. The individual would use the Federal Health Care Credit Card to pay premiums, would be required to submit claims directly to the insurance company (like car insurance), and the insurance Company would pay claims to the Federal Health Care Credit Card. This would get insurance companies out of the practicing of medicine.

With this plan everyone would be covered and consumers would have an incentive to shop for the best value and only seek care when it is really necessary.

]]> By: John Parker, NH http://blog.heritage.org/2008/10/01/expand-and-economize-vs-redeploy-and-devolve/#comment-6387 John Parker, NH Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:04:07 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2008/10/01/expand-and-economize-vs-redeploy-and-devolve/#comment-6387 I agree that we have a healthcare problem that should be addressed. More government is not the answer.Let's look at why healthcare cost as much as it does, maybe the problem is with frivioulus lawsuits that the medical field has to insure for. Doctor's fees need to cover education expences, The price that hospitals charge for over the counter pills is way out of line. If "big insurance" is paying the bill, the average consumer does not care what the cost is. Here is an example of how national healthcare would work. The company that I work for, had a coffee pot in the break room, and the ones that drank coffee, paid $3.00 a month to cover the cost ,and they drank as much as they wanted. There was never a shortage of coffee. The company decided to bring in a new coffee machine, that would be free to all employees. At first, we ran out of coffee weekly, after about 2 months, they came up with the right supply. The company is spending more on coffee than we ever did with the old program. If it is free.....people will take advantage. This is exactly what would happen with healthcare. I agree that we have a healthcare problem that should be addressed. More government is not the answer.Let's look at why healthcare cost as much as it does, maybe the problem is with frivioulus lawsuits that the medical field has to insure for.

Doctor's fees need to cover education expences, The price that hospitals charge for over the counter pills is way out of line.

If "big insurance" is paying the bill, the average consumer does not care what the cost is.

Here is an example of how national healthcare would work.

The company that I work for, had a coffee pot in the break room, and the ones that drank coffee, paid $3.00 a month to cover the cost ,and they drank as much as they wanted. There was never a shortage of coffee.

The company decided to bring in a new coffee machine, that would be free to all employees. At first, we ran out of coffee weekly, after about 2 months, they came up with the right supply.

The company is spending more on coffee than we ever did with the old program.

If it is free…..people will take advantage.

This is exactly what would happen with healthcare.

]]> By: Valorie Sheehan http://blog.heritage.org/2008/10/01/expand-and-economize-vs-redeploy-and-devolve/#comment-6352 Valorie Sheehan Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:31:45 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2008/10/01/expand-and-economize-vs-redeploy-and-devolve/#comment-6352 Try dealing with a major health crisis without insurance. Medical proticol is often based upon medical insurance . You may be seen in an emergency room without insurance, but you won't get chemotherapy or physical therapy without it. Try dealing with a major health crisis without insurance. Medical proticol is often based upon medical insurance . You may be seen in an emergency room without insurance, but you won't get chemotherapy or physical therapy without it.

]]> By: NH speaks out http://blog.heritage.org/2008/10/01/expand-and-economize-vs-redeploy-and-devolve/#comment-6321 NH speaks out Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:52:32 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2008/10/01/expand-and-economize-vs-redeploy-and-devolve/#comment-6321 I agree with McCain personally. I don't want to give more power to the Government. It would give us more choices in Healthcare with McCain's approach. I have been without healthcare in the past based on my own choices yet was never turned down for basic healthcare or emergency services. I was always given the opportunity to pay small payments per month($15.00)to pay off the bill. If someone has not experienced this they need to contact their state offices. I also through budget analysis discovered it was more cost effective for me to cover my own medical expenses annually and just have catastrophic insurance coverage. A few years ago I lived in Canada for a couple months and everytime they found out I was an American they felt free to express their concerns about their socialized healthcare. Most common ones were lack of good care, long waits (ex: 2 days) in Emergency rooms and extremely high tax burdens. I'll paraphrase by saying they made sure to tell me that they hoped stupid Americans wouldn't make such a mistake. But really they love us. In a nutshell I don't want the government to supply me healthcare insurance I want them to govern our country, protect our borders, help other countries that are oppressed, go after alternative fuels/transportation and make corporations accountable for actions such as the current Mortgage/Bail out issues. Last but not least protect our freedoms of choice and put the power back into the people. If we get tax breaks it puts $$ back into the people's pocket...not our government. That way we the people can spend, create and build our country. No plan is perfect but I believe McCain really does want American's to grow and be strong and self sufficient people. I agree with McCain personally. I don't want to give more power to the Government. It would give us more choices in Healthcare with McCain's approach. I have been without healthcare in the past based on my own choices yet was never turned down for basic healthcare or emergency services. I was always given the opportunity to pay small payments per month($15.00)to pay off the bill. If someone has not experienced this they need to contact their state offices.

I also through budget analysis discovered it was more cost effective for me to cover my own medical expenses annually and just have catastrophic insurance coverage.

A few years ago I lived in Canada for a couple months and everytime they found out I was an American they felt free to express their concerns about their socialized healthcare. Most common ones were lack of good care, long waits (ex: 2 days) in Emergency rooms and extremely high tax burdens. I'll paraphrase by saying they made sure to tell me that they hoped stupid Americans wouldn't make such a mistake. But really they love us. In a nutshell I don't want the government to supply me healthcare insurance I want them to govern our country, protect our borders, help other countries that are oppressed, go after alternative fuels/transportation and make corporations accountable for actions such as the current Mortgage/Bail out issues. Last but not least protect our freedoms of choice and put the power back into the people. If we get tax breaks it puts $$ back into the people's pocket…not our government. That way we the people can spend, create and build our country. No plan is perfect but I believe McCain really does want American's to grow and be strong and self sufficient people.

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