FUNDAMENTAL, COMMONSENSE HEALTH CARE REFORMS

Subject: txt 1st hcare -
The Democrats have developed deeply flawed, partisan reforms that expand coverage without fixing any of the system's underlying problems. Unless they chart a new, bipartisan course soon their rush to declare victory will result in a national tragedy

There are several fundamental, commonsense reforms that will cost less, improve health care quality and expand coverage, such as ending the tax exclusion for health care and replacing it with a standardized tax credit or tax deduction:

• Economists from (Obama adviser) Jason Furman to Martin Feldstein know that the tax exemption for employer-provided insurance is regressive (the rich benefit more), arbitrary (why tie insurance to employment?) and drives up health care inflation. [the consumer and the paying customer aren't the same]
• End it -- the largest tax break in the code -- and use the proceeds to expand private insurance.

Expand existing state high-risk pools to address pre-existing conditions:

• Today, 35 states have high risk pools that they use to subsidize coverage for Americans who might go without coverage because they have pre-existing health conditions that make coverage very expensive or unavailable in the individual insurance market.
• Federal dollars should go to states that embrace model high risk pools offering affordable premiums and disease management plans that help keep beneficiaries in better health.

Create real interstate insurance competition through a transparent national market:

• The president and Congress talk a lot about competition, but forcing consumers to choose among three or four expensive government designed plans -- bronze, silver, gold or platinum, stacking the deck in favor of public plans, and hamstringing private insurance isn't real competition. [of >1500 insurance providers, CA residents get to chose from a grand total of six -- 6.]
• Congress should allow interstate sale of insurance, and mandate transparency and standardized coverage descriptions so that consumers always know what they are buying and can easily compare different coverage options.

[Good answers are available {let's throw in tort reform while we're at it} - were the real intent health care rather than health control.]

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image toon = 1st hcare = True costs = camel's nose under tent at 900B$