Common Sense Approach To Healthcare Reform

Most Americans feel that the healthcare system in our country needs to be reformed in some manner. At the same time, most Americans LIKE their own current coverage. My question to those who want to revamp the entire healthcare system into a government run nightmare is, "Why throw out the baby with the bathwater?"

There are many opportunities to streamline cost and increase quality of care in a way which is comfortable and acceptable to most Americans. Below is a list of smart reform ideas from Physicians for Reform which would significantly effect American healthcare in a positive way. Is there a reason why our elected leaders won't address these very plain and simple measures? Does it have something to do with the fact that 84% of trial lawyers' campaign contributions in 2008 went to the Democratic party?

Brief Overview

Insurance Reform:
Health Savings Accounts combined with higher deductable policies reduce healthcare spending by placing patients in control of their own healthcare dollars. This strategy can decrease healthcare sending by 13% without compromising access to care. If America reduces even one fourth of its healthcare spending by even 10%, this will save $50 billion every year.

Tax Reform:
Physicians for Reform advocates making health insurance and Health Savings Accounts tax deductable for Americans with higher incomes. We also advocate funding individual policies and Health Savings Account with tax credits for Americans with lower incomes. This plan not only makes healthcare affordable for every American, it keeps patients in control of their own healthcare dollars. This program would cost approximately $80 billion every year.

Tort Reform:
Physicians spend approximately $124 billion every year in defensive medicine. Much of this is driven by the unpredictable results of our medical legal system. Federal level tort reform would decrease healthcare spending by an estimated $70 billion yearly.

Combined, Insurance Reform and Tort Reform would save Americans approximately $120 billion every year. Tax credits for Americans without healthcare would cost $80 billion. The net result? Not only does every American have access to healthcare, we save approximately $40 billion every year.

In this time of economic crisis, this plan not only reduces federal spending, it lowers the cost of healthcare of both small and large businesses. This in turn will create jobs as businesses have more money to hire people.