Comment Re:Other reform options (Score 1) 2044
1. Buy insurance across state lines. This gives people the opportunity to search for cheap insurance. Right now you can only get insurance in your state... Imagine if you couldn't buy anything over the internet across state lines.
This is actually a very bad idea. All insurance companies will move to the state that allows them to screw their customers the most. That's what happened when credit card companies were deregulated in the late 70s. Why do you think every credit card company is headquartered in South Dakota and Delaware? Because charging 30% interest is illegal in other states.
2. Limit lawsuit payouts. The lawyers (sharks with lasers) are making a KILLING on lawsuits. Reduce the payouts and the sharks will have less to feed on, there will be fewer ambulance chasers because the $$$ will become reasonable.
According to CBO lawsuits account for 1% to 2% of health care costs - so even you eliminate ALL malpractice lawsuits (including legitimate ones), you are not saving enough to make a difference.
3. Reduce the FDA requirements. Wow, meds sure are expensive. Oh, they aren't in canada? Oh, and canada sells the same meds for much less and they don't have such a stringent approval process? Hmmm
Why can't we just re-import drugs from Canada instead?
4. Promote Savings Health Accounts (see 1. first) - If you put in $xxx dollars tax free into an account that's YOUR money. Once you cap it at a certain level you just pay the maintenance (the insurance part in case something catastrophic happens) Now, it's your task to shop around for an affordable healthcare provider. You'll think twice before paying $300 for a checkup.
HSAs are a great idea. The problem is that many people would rather spend their money, even if it's taxed. For instance, everyone can save for retirement tax free using IRA accounts; but how many actually do it?
5. This topic wasn't designed to discuss immigration, but guess what, that's a major cost in health care. The country will fail if the people paying into healthcare are expected to support every ILLEGAL immigrant that wants healthcare. Especially if the hospitals are charging those goverment rates for it ($30 for an aspirin anyone?) I'm just going to say, if you can't reasonably prove your an american, you don't get american health care, unless you can pay cash.
So if unconscious car accident victim does not have a proof of citizenship and doesn't have $10k on him you would throw him out of the emergency room?
Exercise: Call 3 local providers and tell them that you have some common malady and tell them that you have Blue Cross insurance, ask them what it will cost you, and what they will bill BC. The next day, call them all back, same malady and tell them you're paying out of pocket. If day 2 isn't a third of day 1 I will eat my shoe.
Would you like some condiments with your shoe? Blue Cross negotiates reimbursement rates with hospitals, and therefore will pay LESS, (as much as 60% less) than you would pay in cash. Check your statement next time: it plainly states what the hospital billed Blue Cross and what hospital accepted as payment.
Health care is a very complex problem.
