Free Market Healthcare

Folks, no doubt you've heard a plethora of opinions regarding the U.S. health care system. It's our view the current legislation should be voted down not only out of a complete lack of financial footing, but a basic understanding of what constitutes human life. The issue of the "public option," is as much a moral issue as it is an economic one. In brief, the (health care) issue is extremely complex, but the two basic cornerstones of a sound medical system are: 1) cost and 2) access to care.

Without using advanced statistical modeling the facts are so-called "universal" health care has not worked in any country it has been tried. Getting back to the inefficiencies a government-run system allegedly attempts to solve (cost and access to care)--it accomplishes neither. Already we see the failures (and egregious fraud) brought my medicaid and medicare. No doubt one hears of the warehoused wheelchair which a hustler bills the federal government for thousands of times, only never to be used by an actual "real and living" patient. Such woes go on and on. But alas, such is a microcosm of the ills a federally-run "universal" system would bring. And why if a federal program is allegedly so sound, wouldn't it be tried out on a smaller scale before jumping head first into the situation?

Unfortunately, it already has, in Massachusetts for instance, universal care caused (and continues) to wreak havoc on statewide and local municipality budgets alike. While in other states, similar (but often less expensive) versions of government-mandated care were repealed due to similar fiscal failures and systemic inefficiencies.

So what's the alternative? Another difficult question to answer. However, we must first look to the root cause of the health care crisis--the United States is an obese nation (a topic for another article). However, once the root cause of what is indeed making the U.S. sick (in many cases) is addressed, we can then look to the current inefficiencies in the system. That being said, lawmakers could actually work constructively to solve health care problems instead of enacting new ones:

• Encourage free market care by "unmasking" the true cost of medicine through inexpensive high deductible plans, which would be supplemented by tax-free health savings accounts (HSAs). Such a move would save money by encouraging health consumers to negotiate for better rates directly with their physicians while at the same time allowing them to contribute in a tax-friendly manner in order to plan long-term for inflation and the inevitable rise of care.
• Enact laws which provide for "portable accounts," so one does not lose existing coverage when changing jobs or starting a business.
  
• Offer tax incentives for small business (in particular) to provide quality, low-cost (i.e. high deductible, HSA eligible) plans to employees.
• Empower consumers to think like businesspeople in defining and (in some cases) demanding quality care from the physician of their choice.

In sum, the above-mentioned items are just some of the necessary reform Congress could enact to transform the current health care system in a positive, inclusive, and empowering way for the American people regardless of their health status. Lastly, contact your Congressmen and urge them to not pass the current "Obamacare," single-payer (e.g. public option) plan. Also, please contact your Senators likewise! Not only would such a plan decrease access to care and serve to exponentially increase cost--in the end--prove unmanageable at best--a threat to human life at worst. The power is in our hands. It's time we fully took it back.