WHAT I DO AND DO'T WANT TO SEE IN A HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL

The following ideas have all been discussed by so many sources, I do not know who originated them, and therefore to whom to credit them. However, they seem good to me.

1. Language to the effect that any “Comparative Effectiveness” Information will be advisory only. No rationing.

2. Allow Health Insurance companies to compete Nationwide.

3. No mandates to Health Insurance companies, without changing restrictions that limit their ability to be competitive.

4. No price fixing.

5. Language that excludes illegal immigrants from free health insurance. (Immigration reform is a whole other issue that we have to solve.)

6. Tort reform – Just cap punitive damages!

7. Make sure the bill is “revenue neutral” for the States as well as the Federal budget.

8. Allow the insurance to be separated from employers while, at the same time, allowing individuals, small businesses and other self insurers to take part in large pools in order to lower their costs.

9. No extra audits on self insurers.

10. No employer mandate.

11. Encourage groups of providers, like Qliance in Seattle, who will provide basic care at much lower prices, in exchange for not filing for payment through health insurance. Perhaps with tax breaks. Remove laws that prohibit them setting their prices lower than a preset minimum.

12. Allow insurance companies to provide policies that cover major medical or catastrophic care only, not basic care.

13. Expand HSA’s, and allow them to remain active indefinitely, with no penalties. Perhaps even allow them to move unused funds from an HSA to an IRA after age 65. This way, families could use HSA savings for basic care, and purchase catastrophic insurance as described in number 10. This would also cut down on elective and unessential procedures, since people will think twice when they have to pay. This could also be an option for Medicare recipients, for their supplemental policies, or Medicare Advantage plans.

14. No Gateway or Exchange with Government strings attached. I would rather trust The Better Business Bureau, Insurance agents, recommendations from customers and health care providers or even the Internet to find insurance.

15. For those with pre-existing conditions, allow high risk pools.

16. For those who still cannot afford health care insurance, expand Medicaid, perhaps on a sliding scale. Right now, there are 10 to 17 million legal residents, who want coverage, but can’t afford it. In 2008 Congress spent 17.2 billion on earmarks, defending the practice by saying that this amount is miniscule compared to the overall budget, only a very small percentage. With this “miniscule” amount, they could have given $1,000 to each of the above toward insurance. With 170 billion, they could have each been given $10,000. Clearly, we can take care of these people without a new multi- trillion dollar entitlement!

17. If people choose to accept an Employer Group Plan and then leave their job, make sure they have the option to keep their insurance with the plan’s provider, at an individual rate, with no increases for “preconditions”.

18. Give doctors and Hospitals tax incentives to maintain free clinics for the poor.

19. Give wealthy taxpayers back the charitable contributions tax deduction for donations to these clinics and other providers giving free care.

20. Give persons who purchase individual health insurance a tax deduction similar to that given to employers who offer group health insurance to their employees.

21. NO FEDERAL HEALTH BOARD!

22. NO PUBLIC OPTION! NO TRIGGER!

Like most Americans, I believe that, if we put our heads together, we can solve most of the health care problems without further bankrupting the country, or trampling on the people’s rights.