| The healthcare debate revolves around two | | | | that restrict individual liberty. In essence, a |
| systems that share common problems - namely, | | | | government that controls your healthcare controls |
| the issues of cost, access and individual choice. | | | | your body. |
| Within the current system, consumers are | | | | A Consumer-Driven Solution |
| removed from the reality of what medical care | | | | A health care system that provides consumers |
| actually costs. Since medical costs are shifted to | | | | with more information, accountability and control is |
| employers, insurance companies, healthcare | | | | desperately needed. Consumers who don't know |
| providers and government, the real economic | | | | or feel the economic impact of their decisions will |
| impact of healthcare decisions are hidden from | | | | put cost pressures on any healthcare system. |
| consumers. This encourages consumption and | | | | They will also cede the ability to make their own |
| helps institutionalize inefficiencies within the system | | | | decisions to corporate or government |
| - which translates into greater costs, less access | | | | bureaucrats. In both cases, the outcome that |
| and fewer choices. Conversely, a government-run | | | | best serves the system is when you no longer |
| or "public option" is likely to expand these | | | | use it. More bluntly, there is an institutional bias |
| problems, while adding a political context that will | | | | towards your exit in the current and proposed |
| limit the ability to optimize the system. | | | | systems. An alternative system to consider would |
| The Problem of Cost | | | | turn this model around and create an advocate |
| Although inefficiencies exist within any system, | | | | for your life and liberty. |
| most healthcare costs are a result of sick, injured, | | | | Plan for Dealing with Catastrophic Care |
| diseased and dying people. Improving technology | | | | I can purchase a healthcare plan without |
| integration, tort reform and streamlining processes | | | | catastrophic care for my entire family at around |
| can help reduce some costs - but, ultimately, the | | | | $200 a month. This plan can include reasonable |
| consumer's behavior and condition will have the | | | | co-pays, doctor visits, prescription benefits and |
| greatest effect on the expense of any system. | | | | wellness. Catastrophic care, however, would cost |
| Since these costs are primarily absorbed by the | | | | my family over $1,000 a month if I purchased |
| system instead of the consumer - behavior is not | | | | coverage on my own. Families, businesses and |
| guided by its economic impact. The consumer | | | | governments face the same financial reality. One |
| doesn't care if a procedure costs $20 or $20,000. | | | | alternative to this broken model, however, might |
| Under the current and proposed systems, the | | | | be a system that operates much like Life |
| consumer's primary concern is whether or not a | | | | Insurance. In fact, Life Insurance might be one |
| procedure or medical service is covered or not | | | | tool that individuals could use to meet their health |
| covered. This places the onus of cost on the | | | | insurance needs. |
| system - whether that system consists of | | | | What if everyone ineligible for Medicare or |
| private insurers, government, business or a | | | | Medicaid had a life insurance policy where a |
| combination of these. | | | | percentage of the payout could be used for |
| Increasing access to the current or proposed | | | | catastrophic care? For instance, if you had a |
| systems isn't likely to bring down costs. It will, | | | | $500K policy, you could use $300K to $400K to |
| more likely, spread costs to others who wouldn't | | | | pay for the care to save your life. Under this |
| ordinarily use nor need either system - as well as | | | | option, you will either forgo or reduce the payout |
| to employers, tax payers, shareholders and | | | | provided to your survivors. Insurance companies |
| consumers. Again, when consumers are removed | | | | would be placed in a position where advocating |
| from the economic affect of their behavior and | | | | for your life makes good business sense. |
| conditions, bringing down costs become an | | | | Consumers, on the other hand, would be given a |
| abstraction that interjects corporations and political | | | | greater role and incentives for controlling costs. |
| decision-making into individual choices. | | | | What's more, difficult end-of-life decisions will not |
| Individual Liberty and Choice | | | | be made by the government or corporations - |
| In order to control costs, a structure has to be | | | | but by doctors, families and patients. |
| put in place to determine what and who is | | | | Monthly payments would be significantly lower |
| covered and not covered. No system has infinite | | | | under this option. For under $100 a month, |
| resources and must address economic scarcity in | | | | emergency coverage could be made available to |
| some way. Within the current system and | | | | millions of Americans. In the event of a |
| proposed reforms, consumers lack the knowledge | | | | catastrophe, the cost of services within this plan |
| and incentives to address this scarcity issue | | | | could be based on Medicare payouts or the |
| themselves - as they do so well in many other | | | | lowest negotiated rate. These costs would be |
| areas of economic life. Instead, the system must | | | | deducted from the plan's payout. In this way, |
| impose rationing, restrictions and punitive | | | | cost of care will cease to be an abstraction that's |
| measures to address costs. These measures - | | | | absent from consumer decision-making processes. |
| whether from government or insurance | | | | Instead, the real value of care and its impact on |
| companies - are in direct opposition to the ideal of | | | | those left behind will become a part of our |
| individual liberty and choice. | | | | healthcare calculations. |
| The current system limits an individual's liberty and | | | | A Plan for Dealing with Basic Care |
| choices in ways that go beyond healthcare. | | | | The same type of option that addresses |
| Employees can become indentured servants to | | | | catastrophic care can be expanded to deal with |
| employers that substitute health insurance for | | | | basic healthcare costs. Whole life insurance |
| higher wages, upward mobility, flexible scheduling | | | | provides a model to cover costs associated with |
| and rewarding work. The shackles of the current | | | | routine care, doctor's visits, prescriptions, and |
| system also provide a disincentive for aspiring | | | | non-life threatening conditions. Unlike medical |
| entrepreneurs and small business owners. In | | | | savings accounts, consumers would essentially be |
| effect, our current system of employer provided | | | | borrowing against the matured value of their |
| health insurance inhibits the efficiency of job | | | | policy to pay for medical costs. If these costs are |
| markets and limits economic opportunity. | | | | low, the consumer is rewarded with savings that |
| Proposed reforms, including the government | | | | can be applied toward their children's education or |
| option, offer some hope of portability...but at the | | | | retirement. Again, the cost of services within this |
| expense of politically-charged infringements upon | | | | plan could be based on Medicare payouts or the |
| individual liberty and choice. Within a private | | | | lowest negotiated rate. The premiums for this |
| system, you're not likely to care if I engage in an | | | | option would be affordable enough to create |
| unhealthy lifestyle or other behaviors that increase | | | | portability for most American workers, while |
| healthcare costs. However, once your tax money | | | | giving consumers greater control and incentives to |
| goes to pay for the results of my behavior and | | | | manage healthcare costs and quality of care. |
| lifestyle - at the expense of your children's | | | | Government, for its part, can subsidize premiums |
| education, your community and your financial | | | | for low income, unemployed and chronically ill |
| security - you have a stake and a say in what I | | | | consumers who don't qualify for existing |
| do. My lifestyle and behavior suddenly take on a | | | | programs. |
| political context - flavored with interpretations of | | | | Effect of Alternative Plan |
| "fairness" and "justice". What used to be just a | | | | A plan that gives consumers more control, |
| doughnut and a morning smoke - evolves into an | | | | flexibility and accountability over their own |
| affront against someone else's economic future. | | | | healthcare will benefit our nation's future. It will |
| This leads inevitably towards greater government | | | | affect wages, personal savings, innovation, job |
| involvement in all things that impact my health and | | | | creation and tax revenue. What's more, it will help |
| the costs of the healthcare system. Listening to | | | | to re-establish the sovereignty of the individual |
| the calls of those affected by my decisions, | | | | over their own lives. |
| government will be compelled to impose remedies | | | | |