Healthcare, excuse me, Health Insurance Reform

A lot has been made over the past several weeks, months, and years (Pres. Clinton, 1992) about healthcare reform. As many of us know this is not really the issue. Healthcare in America is the greatest healthcare system on Earth. We can usually get in to see our doctor the same day, if necessary. If we can't go there, we can go to an urgent care facility, which is in between a Doctor's office and the emergency room, but at the Doctor's office price. Last, the emergency room is for those after hours real emergencies. Average time to see a specialist is 20 days, unless you have the unfortunate honor of being in Massachusetts which is 50 days and growing.

We don't have a healthcare problem.

We have an insurance problem.

Health insurance as it is used now, is not insurance. Here is the definition of insurance: the act, system, or business of insuring property, life, one's person, etc., against loss or harm arising in specified contingencies, as fire, accident, death, disablement, or the like, in consideration of a payment proportionate to the risk involved.

So let's give a couple of examples. I go to the doctor for a physical as part of my normal maintenance, what loss am I insuring against? None! All that is happening is I pay $20 of a $75 bill and the company who provides "insurance coverage" pays the rest. I haven't had a loss or have been harmed in any way, however, my insurance policy kicks in. It doesn't make sense.

Another example, my car needs an oil change as part of it's normal maintenance. I then go to pay, and shocker of all shockers, I pay the whole amount including a sales tax. My car insurance didn't kick in, because again I didn't have a loss.

An insurance payment should only be paid if you experienced a loss or have been harmed, for example, a broken leg or car accident or death. Payment for preventative maintenance should never enter the equation when it comes to insurance. Some insurance companies have been moving away from the Co-pay/coinsurance version of "health insurance", and moving towards a catastrophic insurance program, which is better for the patient, their doctor, and insurance companies. I believe there are 2 ways to help speed up the process.

1. Take away the tax benefit to employers for providing insurance. All this does is give enough incentive to employers to get coverage, but it may not be the best coverage. Consumers can always get a better deal.

2. Allow insurance companies to compete in multiple states. Currently, insurance companies can only write policies in the states they are licensed to write. What if we could license insurance companies in all state, which would give better competition for insurance.

I believe that these few changes in business practice of insurance companies and tax/regulation reform could lead to lower healthcare costs. A government health program is definitely not necessary.

Next issue...tort reform to help lower the cost of healthcare. See you then.

J

The Sixteenth Amendment (Amendment XVI) to the United States Constitution allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results. Hmmm, are tobacco and gasoline taxes constitutional? You be the judge.