Universal Health Care

It really sounds like a great idea on the surface, "everyone can go to the Dr. whenever they want and they'll get treated and not have to pay anything." Which would be great except someone has to pay for it at some point, meaning tax payers. Now if you don't pay taxes or just enjoy the heck out of paying taxes then this poses no problems. But of the proposals brought forth by the presidential candidates on this issue the most conservative of estimates is $90 billion dollars. Now divide that by 300 million people and the average cost is $300 dollars per person. Hey that doesn't sound so bad, but kids can't pay for that, people already on gov't assistant aren't going to pay, and seniors won't pay because they already have medicare. So let's say half of the people will foot the bill, then the cost only goes up to $600. Well that's still not that bad especially if you can drop your family coverage at work.

Let's look at a socialistic system that is already in place in the UK. The UK's system is one of the most nationalistic available, meaning that everyone in the general population can go to a state run hospital and see a state sponsored physician at no additional costs than what they pay in taxes. The annual costs in 2000 was 104 billion pounds which would convert roughly (and I mean very roughly considering the dollar's current weak position) to US$147 billion. OK so that is a little more than $90 billion but still less than double so that would be like $980 per person. Well that isn't that great, but if you were spending over $100 /month in premiums then it would still be better than $1200 per year. But wait the UK only services 60 million people not 300 million so you need to multiply that number by 5 to get a closer approximation to what the service would cost in the US, $4900. What?!? Yeah that is a little bit of sticker shock but probably more closely approximates what the actual cost would be to individuals here in the US. Plus the US would have to set up an entire infastructure to support and track the new system, which would take some additional up front money. The US currently spends, on average, $7,000+ per person and that is with "limited" health care coverage. The United States spends more per person based on gross domestic product (GDP) than any other country in the world and the health care that people receive is on the top end as far as quickness to get seen and quality. The problems with the US system are 1) that the bottom 1/4 of the population has very limited access which will bring down the average when compared to other countries, 2) Prescription drugs are out of sight and it seems like the more "medicines" someone takes then they have to take another "medicine" to counter act the deficiency created by the primary medicine. My mom, Rose, takes a water pill for her congestive heart failure, but then also takes a potassium pill because the water pill cause her to lose too much potassium. 3) Little or no regulation in what hospital's or physicians can charge for services, $5,000 for a PET scan or $1,000 for an MRI sure that sounds reasonable. 4) Even if you have insurance, if your doctor or the insurance won't go along with a certain procedure or test that they feel you don't need, which is rare, your only option is to pay for the entire thing out of pocket and the free market hasn't caught up with the hospitals when offering diagnostic tests, like a PET scan.

The solution - Socially there should be an obligation to help the bottom of the scale, but where exactly does that solution start. If a plan is put in place to help the lowest people on the income scale then it will have to be subsidized by people on the upper end of the scale, which would not make the plan beneficial to them because there would be no benefit. So here is what needs to happen 1) Give Hospitals and health centers and any other facility that does something in the health field a total break on property tax, and other local city charges like water, sewer and trash under the agreement that they will lower their prices by a similar amount that way their bottom line won't be affected. 2) Put a waiver in on taxes for employees at these facilities. Not for the total tax but some percentage so they don't have as much taken out, then have the facility adjust their wage so that their take home pay is unaffected (i.e. they still clear the same amount), but the hospital will improve their bottom line and in turn will lower prices. 3) Impose regulations and set a target for prices on services to be reached in the next 5 years and 10 years. This will force the industry to become more stream line and look for the most cost effect solutions to treating patients. If new technologies are to be tried they will be done at the hospital's expense or the company with new technology not insurance. 4) End frivolous law suits against doctors. Only in cases where there is severe negligence can a person be sued, you know like operating on the wrong leg or arm or something. As long as the doctor was trying his or her best to help someone they shouldn't be liable, after all we are looking to them for help. 5) Limit the amount of money that can be spent on advertising prescription drugs. Any amount that is spent over the limit is treated like a luxury tax in sports and the company will be responsible for paying additional taxes to the government. Take this access and set up a fund for the poorest 1/4 of Americans so that they can get treatment.

OK, well thanks for reading all that and I hope that your eyes don't need any treatment after reading it.