Health Care: The Conservative Alternative in the House
(Op-Ed in Human Events, Sept. 8, 2009 by Congressman Tom Price, M.D.)
Perhaps the most blatant “disinformation” being promulgated in the health care debate this year is that there are only two choices for American health care: putting the federal government in charge or allowing insurance companies to run the show. While the President, congressional Democrats in charge, and, to a degree, the media have done all they can to shut out Republican ideas, the truth remains that there is a third path, a correct path.
Our solution, HR3400 is built upon the principle that when individuals are given control and ownership, we will achieve full access to coverage and see the entire system move in a positive, patient-centered direction. While we join in the national critique of the President’s misguided proposal, we also offer positive solutions for health care reform.
First, all people should have the financial wherewithal to purchase private, personal health plans. As cost is the biggest barrier to coverage, H.R. 3400 employs a hybrid tax structure to ensure that there is no financial reason for a person to go without coverage. Based on factors such as income and family size, the legislation offers tax credits and deductions, which are advanceable and on a sliding scale, so the less wealthy and those without employer-provided plans will be able to purchase coverage.
A true market for Americans to purchase this personal private coverage, however, does not currently exist. For patients to have real choices, we must create a functioning marketplace for all to gain coverage they select. To achieve this, under the Empowering Patients First Act, all Americans would be able to use pre-tax dollars to buy coverage on the open market, leveling the playing field with employer-provided care that already receives this benefit. And to provide Americans greater purchasing power, the legislation allows for robust pooling mechanisms so that people can come together freely to drive down prices. These pools will provide a place for those with pre-existing conditions to find coverage at an affordable price. And there is the opportunity to purchase health insurance across state lines, which is currently barred.
Finally, we cannot fully bring down costs without addressing the runaway medical liability crisis. From exorbitant malpractice insurance premiums to the remarkably expensive practice of defensive medicine, it is my experience that the current culture of litigation costs patients hundreds of billions of dollars. And these costs do nothing to provide better care, but rather serve only as a defense against unyielding personal injury lawyers. H.R. 3400 tackles this problem with the creation of new health courts that trust the expert opinions of medical professionals. When malpractice suits are brought through specialized courts and viewed through the perspective of medically appropriate care, rather than a lottery mentality, we will see a decline in frivolous lawsuits and the need for costly defensive medicine.
7 comments:
If you want to really truely fix the healthcare issue in this country, the fix would be easy!
Congress and the president should immediately ban ALL health care insurance and employer sponsered coverage.
Everyone pay as you go....period!
You will immediately see charges and fees drop as the market will no longer support the rediculous fees charged.
Without the BIG pockets of the insurance companies and the ENORMOUS pockets of the government the costs will drop!
The real truth though is that this debate is not about healthcare.....it's about control!
You lefties need to start being truthfull to yourselves. Ask yourself if you truely want to hand that kind of control of your life to the government. Once that freedon is gone, it will be VERY hard to get it back!
Now that sounds like a plan!
add in 5:35's suggestion and congress only gets the health care they can afford out of their pocket and we have a deal!
5:35 yes, Dems want to rule the world.
To all conserves, you would be able to promote your plan more effectively if you stuck to advocating the merits of your plan, pointing out the drawbacks of the Dem plan, and refraining from the tired "communist, terrorists, hitler, granny killer" rants. In fact, Rep. leaders owe this to the american people
Great plan! Tort reform is vital to bringing down costs of any plan.
Yes-- great plan.
But I predict that it will never see the light of day in the House, because if it does, the dem plan would never pass.
Madame Mussolini will make sure this plan is buried with a silver stake through it.
Even if you call your rep and scream bloody murder they still will try to bury this.
Nothing new here. Was this written by the Healthcare lobby?
9:37am, you're right it's not new, it's only partially McCain's platform with some tort reform...nothing a liberal would want to hear anyway. Let's change the whole system to help 9 or 10 million people at the expense of the other 300 million-that makes alot of sense to you I bet. Don't bother coming out with the 49 million uninsured, that's been debunked.
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