My Plan for America's Health Care

Many people see socialized medicine as big and expensive. With some imagination and some research I think I have found an idea that could prove many people wrong.

Currently we have many people with no insurance visiting E.R.s and driving the cost up for everyone else. My plan puts a stop to this with a fairly basic solution.

Currently when you enter the ER you are checked in and wait for the next available Dr. What if at the check in desk, the nurse at the door directs you to either a low cost clinic or if you need emergency care an ER bed. A common entrance to both facilities will give the decision to trained professionals. 

This would shift unpaid bills from expensive emergency rooms to low cost clinics. 

The current legislation mandates all citizens get health care. If we instead offered a base health system to all citizens people could just continue to do nothing. Now this universal socialized medicine would be preventative only. There would be no choice in doctors.  Only approved by doctors and debated by congress procedures would be available. It will be the cheapest lowest coverage health care available. 

When you go to your clinic, if you haven't been in a year, you will have preventative tests run and you will be informed of the results. It will then be your responsibility to take the information and change your lifestyle accordingly. 

If you don't change your lifestyle and you develop diabetes that is tough cookies unless...........

You make enough money to buy health insurance on your own. Or if you work at an employer that provides you with insurance. If you pay for your own insurance then you can live by the rules written by you your insurance provide and your state or federal regulator.

So thats my plan. It is socialized medicine. But it is not big socialized medicine. Every other industrialized country has Universal Health Care for all their citizens. They also have debt to GDP ratios double America's This seems to be a plan that could show our compassion for fellow Americans and do it in an Economically viable way.

Comparing Health Care Reform Options

Republican talking points haven't changed in months but many of their points are being addressed in the current bill that just passed the House of Representatives. So even though they will not vote for this legislation I am not sure they should feel completely left out. I will show point by point why Republicans shouldn't be so upset.

Sell insurance across state lines. Some states have very over used Emergency Rooms. Many people with out insurance or money to pay the bill use Emergency Rooms like a doctor's office. If you live in New York city these people and bills add up. At the end of the day Health Insurance Regulation and pricing charts must take into account these unpaid bills.

If you live in Iowa there are far fewer people relying on Emergency Rooms. This means state regulations and and health insurance costs will be less.

If you allow people to buy insurance across state lines people will move their plan to the state with the lowest cost for obvious reasons. This will further reduce competition and options from the market.

One way this phenomenon is already causing disruption in the market is obvious.  Common medical tests such as MRIs or Cat scans have dramatic price differences at different locations. According to http://www.comparecatscancost.com/  prices for CAT scans can very in price from $700 to $3000 state to state. Or $700 to $2200 from town to town.  The reason for this dramatic difference is due to hospital having to cover emergency room losses. But if you go to a specialty office where only people with insurance go, there bills are always paid and therefore are much cheaper.

National Insurance Exchange The current bill has a more thought out version of buying across state lines. It is a National Health Exchange. This leaves in place the current state regulations and marketplaces. It creates a new market place with one set of regulations nationwide. Any health provider can enter this market place with different plans. This will give citizens across the country another option to buy insurance and will do so with an equal opportunity for all insurance providers no matter what state they reside in.

States with high insurance rates will benefit the most from this exchange. At the same time states with low rates should not see increases in cost because this option would not be economically better than their current plans. If you just sold insurance across state lines it would obviously increase the price of insurance for those who live in the cheapest states.

I will continue to explain point by point the health care debate. If you have any points or opinions I would love to hear them.