Topic: Healthcare for All
Part 3 – Possible solutions
Welcome to Part 3. Seat belts on? No? Well????
If you missed the previous articles in this series, here they are. Part 1 (click here) and Part 2. (click here) If you haven’t read them, please take the time to.
One important observation I’d like to make before we delve into possible solutions that might give the probable sinking ship we call Healthcare for All is this. Take a moment please, and let this sink in.
In order for ANY Healthcare proposal to become law, it MUST be passed by the Congress first. Then the President. Be honest, with the political climate these days, what’s the likelihood of that happening? (Rhetorical question.) Unless you have to pass it before you can find out what’s in it.) What’s the old saying? “Fool us once…….”
And it’s not just Healthcare. There are a host of other issues which candidates say (or promise) they will accomplish that will require Congress to pass first. This is the MAIN reason it takes so long to get anything done.
The ONLY promise a Candidate can fulfill (if elected President,) is that which can be done by a stroke of their pen. Anything else – all they can truly say is that – whatever the issue is – they support it and will do their best to accomplish it.
So, when a Candidate throws out all these promises, keep that in mind.
Possible solutions:
My Dad used to say, “If you had a few million in the bank, you wouldn’t be worried about this.” [“This” meaning, the cost of anything.]
Seeing as the majority of the American public don’t have a few million in the bank, with many living paycheck to paycheck, we have to do what we can to solve problems which affect us on a personal level. And when it comes to our money, it’s always personal.
Before we begin with some of my proposals, please allow me to clarify a few things. Healthcare and Health Coverage (Insurance) are two separate but intertwining terms. Both have and will continue to have an affect on the other. Keep this in mind and remember- the bottom line is what comes out of your bank account. And by the way – these are in no particular order of importance.
1. Ban ALL advertising for drugs which require a doctors prescription to receive. Since when did patients prescribe their own medications? We don’t need to tell our doctors about any drug. They should already know the appropriate course of therapy would be concerning our health. For the amount of money they spend each year on advertising, they should be able to lower the price of their products dramatically.
2. Allow pharmacists the ability to approve sales of antibiotics to their customers. In many countries, antibiotics are sold over the counter. However, seeing as many Americans are idiots and would abuse this to the point of becoming a detriment to their own health, they would need the approval of their pharmacist first. Customers would also be required to absolve the pharmacist and the store from any and all legal liability for the opportunity to receive antibiotics in this manner.
3. Allow health insurance companies to provide insurance across state lines and be treated in the same way as car insurance companies. Subject to the rules and regulations of each state.
4. (A tad controversial) Place a 1% Federal Healthcare fee on all retail sales (including online retail sales) except food, clothing and anything related to Healthcare necessities such as prescriptions, vitamins, medical devices, etc. The proceeds of which will STRICTLY regulated to be used for only 2 purposes.
1. For the building, running and maintaining of additional Free clinics in the US. in the way of grants based on per capita. This will be IN ADDITION to existing grants Federal, State and local governments are giving through programs which are already in affect. NOT IN LIEU OF.
2. Strictly regulated grants to insurance companies for the SOLE purpose to offset only money’s spent on the insured’s behalf who has catastrophic coverage. The money’s they would receive would be based on how many people they insure for catastrophic coverage. Not to be used under any circumstances for the insurers benefit. This will IN ADDITION to already existing grants Federal, State and local governments are giving through programs which are already in affect. NOT IN LIEU OF.
That’s enough for now… Whew! Seat belts off. Tune in next time for a few more solutions and final thoughts in the final chapter on Healthcare for all.
