Healthcare Reform. What would you do?

[domwilson]

We all seem to agree that we need some type of healthcare reform. The problem is, that many of us don't agree on how to implement it. So maybe we can come to a resolution that the politicians can't seem to find. I just want to hear some basic ideas. Please no bashing of other forum members. Partisanship is allowed as long as it is civil. I'll start with one idea, although I have a few:

Government pays for primary care visits and most emergency room visits. Common illnesses, injuries, outpatient procedures would be covered. A certain percentage of more expensive procedures would be covered.
Illegal Aliens, Bungy jumping, skydiving, shark teasing, bareback crocodile riding would not be covered.

You could purchase from private insurers supplemental coverage that would cover inpatient care, long term hospitalization, serious illnesses, illegal aliens (yes they would have to pay), dangerous lifestyles, Darwin award winners and additional coverage that would authorize care that the government services won't provide or pay.

Convicted prisoners would have to buy their own medical coverage. How are they going to earn the money? Doing hard labor. Doing alot of the farmwork that many undocumented workers do. Working on americas highway, railway, infrastructures. No more free rides.

Pregnancy/substance abuse while under welfare=forfeiture of welfare benefits except basic government medical coverage.
legalize marijuana, classify it similar to alcohol and tax it to help pay for the reform.
Unhealthy foods and consumeables, add a tax for that to pay for reform.
Businessed would get tax and insurance incentives to have health and wellness programs (Gyms, Gym memberships, excercise breaks, weight management clubs, etc.)

That's just one idea. What's yours?

[domwilson]

Democrats? Republicans? independents? Anyone have any ideas?
You! the guy that's reading this.. Post a thought!

[ozzie-crawl]

as i dont live in the u.s.a i dont have first hand experience, but from were i sit it looks like the longer the government leaves it as it is the less people will need help, a bit of survival of the fittest type approach
goverments are only good at 2 things collecting taxes and spending the tax dollars.
on a side note doesnt look like i will be moving to the u.s any time soon if shark teasing and bare back crocodile riding arent covered by insurance

[NorthernBoater]

Encourage healthy habits and personal responsibility.

[NitroVal]

First off, I would spend the money we are wating on healthcare to get everyone a good education. People with education will more than likely land a decent job, and that job will provide them with healthcare- at the same time lessening the burden of worthless people who loaf off the system.
Second option would be a discount card. Make people still pay for health care, but give them discounts based on their income. This way the ERs and doctors arent flooded by people who will milk the free system by showing up with nonsense ailments and clogging the emergency rooms for people with real injuries..

[domwilson]

First off, I would spend the money we are wating on healthcare to get everyone a good education. People with education will more than likely land a decent job, and that job will provide them with healthcare- at the same time lessening the burden of worthless people who loaf off the system.
Second option would be a discount card. Make people still pay for health care, but give them discounts based on their income. This way the ERs and doctors arent flooded by people who will milk the free system by showing up with nonsense ailments and clogging the emergency rooms for people with real injuries..

The problem there is that there are not enough primary care doctors. Many times you have to make an appointment weeks in advance to see one. So people tend to go to ER to get immediate service. I agree that there should be some type of system to limit or prevent abuses of healthcare coverage.

[NitroVal]

Yep, thats true. They should just make government funded and ran clinics for people on government issued healthcare. Let those of us who actually pay for it still used privatized hospitals.

[domwilson]

Under the current plan, you have the option of keeping your private insurance.

[domwilson]

We all seem to agree that we need some type of healthcare reform. The problem is, that many of us don't agree on how to implement it. So maybe we can come to a resolution that the politicians can't seem to find. I just want to hear some basic ideas. Please no bashing of other forum members. Partisanship is allowed as long as it is civil. I'll start with one idea, although I have a few:

Government pays for primary care visits and most emergency room visits. Common illnesses, injuries, outpatient procedures would be covered. A certain percentage of more expensive procedures would be covered.
Illegal Aliens, Bungy jumping, skydiving, shark teasing, bareback crocodile riding would not be covered.

You could purchase from private insurers supplemental coverage that would cover inpatient care, long term hospitalization, serious illnesses, illegal aliens (yes they would have to pay), dangerous lifestyles, Darwin award winners and additional coverage that would authorize care that the government services won't provide or pay.

Convicted prisoners would have to buy their own medical coverage. How are they going to earn the money? Doing hard labor. Doing alot of the farmwork that many undocumented workers do. Working on americas highway, railway, infrastructures. No more free rides.

Pregnancy/substance abuse while under welfare=forfeiture of welfare benefits except basic government medical coverage.
legalize marijuana, classify it similar to alcohol and tax it to help pay for the reform.
Unhealthy foods and consumeables, add a tax for that to pay for reform.
Businessed would get tax and insurance incentives to have health and wellness programs (Gyms, Gym memberships, excercise breaks, weight management clubs, etc.)

That's just one idea. What's yours?

Also, full disclosure on what is covered and pricing for medical services would be nice.

[domwilson]

I orginally posted this thread because so many people were on one side or the other for healthcare reform. Bitterly discussing the whole issue. So I put it out there for suggestions and ideas. The silence is deafening.

[Steven Vaccaro]

I personally have kept out because I have already said what I thought in other threads.

The short of it was, do something about illegal aliens and tort reform.

[Flying Scotsman]

You guys do not just get it, you are the only democratic country that does not offer a public health care system. The reason MONEY to be earned by private insurers and they may cut you off for an insured medical procedure, as they are there to make profits and could not care less about your health.

Edit

Ilegal aliens that is another question as they are not paying taxes etc. and you have to look in the mirror each day if you hire them

Douggie

[domwilson]

I think we get it. Maybe the politicians don't.

[Steven Vaccaro]

You guys do not just get it, you are the only democratic country that does not offer a public health care system. The reason MONEY to be earned by private insurers and they may cut you off for an insured medical procedure, as they are there to make profits and could not care less about your health.

Edit

Ilegal aliens that is another question as they are not paying taxes etc. and you have to look in the mirror each day if you hire them

Douggie

I get do get it. What I also grasp is that there is no difference in how its paid, I will either write my regular monthly check to the insurance company or make a larger tax check each year.

We also have to define what health "insurance" is. Are they going to cover sex changes, cosmetic surgery, hang nails?

[domwilson]

I think those are already defined as "elective" procedures. Those kind of things should be paid out of pocket I would think. But here is another problem that needs to be addressed... http://redtape.msnbc.com/2009/08/sco...edyshyn-a.html Bottom line is, we have many problems with our system today. Healthcare used to be about saving lives and improving the qualify of life. Now it seems to be about making cash. To me, not everything in life should be about "making a buck."
We should focus more on quality of life. But even the city governments are jumping on the bandwagon... http://redtape.msnbc.com/2009/09/its...pected-or.html