The Wall Street Journal (Letters, March 21, 2017) published a letter from a New Jersey physician which included this excerpt on-target excerpt:
“If costs of delivering world-class health care are driven downward, then government mandates, overregulation and new taxes may not be necessary. Those of us who provide medical and surgical services each day know what it takes to stop the bleeding. All the politicians need to do is ask.
Lack of price transparency, drug advertising hype, defensive medicine, self-referrals, pre-approved hurdles, insurance billing labyrinths high overhead, big patient subsidies, discontinuity of care, electronic data keeping, specialty fee disparities, top-down decision-making, emerging hospital cartels, and case work overload are some of the systemic flaws that must be addressed sooner rather than later.” – Jonathan L. Fox, M.D. Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Northfield, N.J.
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And here is how to address those “systemic flaws,” and gain immediate control of skyrocketing premiums, runaway government health care spending, unfriendly and complicated access mechanisms, and the diminishment of freedom:
The U.S. Health Care Freedom Plan offers a powerful new access strategy for patients receiving medical and pharmaceutical services, home medical equipment, and home care services.
It is as simple as renting a movie.
The Plan grants citizens the freedom to pay directly, in person, for their week-to-week health care purchases. It cuts out layers of bureaucracy and middlemen … simplifies access to health care and restores genuine ‘patient-provider’ relationships.
The U.S. Health Care Freedom Plan is the only comprehensive, citizen-centered health care plan in America. It ‘resets’ the health care industry to present a clean, efficient and responsible system. Most importantly, this plan restores individual freedom and liberty for all participating Americans.
The Plan:
- The U.S. Health Care Freedom Plan is available to each and every U.S. citizen – with no coverage mandates. Each U.S. citizen who wishes to participate will be granted a full and complete exemption from the ACA.
- This plan offers freedom of choice and equal justice for all. Those Americans who might wish to stay with the ACA may stay (‘If you like your ObamaCare, you can keep your ObamaCare’).
- Each participating U.S. citizen shall receive a credit extension, through a special Federal Reserve Citizens Credit Facility, of $25,000, electronically deposited into a Medical Savings Account (MSA) – for direct allocation toward family health care needs.
- Private insurance – Families shall be allowed to enroll in high-deductible ($10,000 – $15,000) major medical plans, to include basic, ‘no frills’ medical plans which best suit their individual needs and desires. These streamlined plans would lower premium costs for employees and employers, encouraging employers to cost-share savings with employees through incentive-based employer MSA contributions.
- Policies would not be automatically loaded with expensive government healthcare mandates.
- Those with extraordinary medical issues may be included in a high-risk category, with such plans being eligible for a government subsidy (similar to current Medicare Advantage).
- Federal / state programs – Individuals enrolled in Medicare / Medicaid / VA / TRICARE / FEHB programs would maintain their covered status, with an annual deductible of $5,000 per year per enrolled family member, for a period of five years for those benefits. The dedicated MSA funds would fully fund the offset for the higher ($5,000) deductible feature for that five-year period. MSA funds could also be used to pay Medicare supplement premiums and other potential co-pay obligations.
- Where health care services paid by patients directly with MSA funds, providers would not be bound by federal / state rules pertaining to Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), and other unnecessary administrative burdens.