Healthcare

“Today the Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act.  For many, this law will mean healthcare coverage is now within reach and lives will be saved.  However, the unfortunate reality is that the law, despite its benefits for many Minnesotans, will not fix our health care mess: it will not achieve universal coverage, as it leaves over 250,000 Minnesotans uninsured; it will not control costs; and it will not make health care affordable to Minnesotans with insurance, because high co-pays and gaps in coverage will continue to leave Minnesotans vulnerable to financial ruin in the event of serious illness.  Minnesota has the nation’s second-highest percentage of citizens enrolled in high deductible health insurance plans.  These directly translate to delayed or foregone medical care.” – Minnesota Health Care for All

“People put off care when they have to pay huge amounts of out-of-pocket cost often making an easily treatable illness much worse and more expensive” says Dr. Ann Settgast, Co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP- MN) and Health Care for All-Minnesota board member. (Source: Minnesota Health Care for All press release June 28, 2012)  Reference herein to The Physicians for a National Health Program does not necessarily constitute or imply its or it’s members endorsement.

What’s Broke: 

Obamacare:  The President gets credit for trying to tackle this huge issue but the product he signed in to law gets an F.  Obamacare will have a devastating impact on our current healthcare system and if I elected I will vote to repeal it.

Here’s why:

• The unelected Independent Payment Advisory Board will cut costs at the expense of patients leaving the most vulnerable Americans at risk.

• No tort reform, means that a significant driver of health care cost are not dealt with in a serious way.

• $500 billion in taxes will filter make its way to people who can afford it the least.

• 159 new government bureaucracies will mean more red tape and delay for patients

• No ability to buy insurance across state lines.

Solutions must include:

Tort Reform: Over 2 years ago the CBO concluded that tort reform would save $54 billion in health care cost.

Market based solutions:  The ability to purchase insurance from across state lines will increase competition which will help drive down the cost of health care insurance nationwide.

State centered Solutions:  The size and scope of our health care system is such that the best solutions must be tailored to fit the need.  This will be best accomplished at a regional and by state level where particular needs are known.

What works for Kentucky won’t necessarily work for Minnesota and vice versa.

I believe we should commit ourselves to a goal of detaching healthcare insurance from the workplace.  Like many other forms of insurance it should be purchased separately.  This will ensure that coverage is constant and that people aren’t staying in careers that they don’t want due solely to the health insurance benefits received.