Showing posts with label price transparency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label price transparency. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Repeal the President’s Health Care Law

I wrote in several posts why Obama Care will be de-constructed by the American Culture for many reasons.  Eventually it will be re-constructed in a manner consistent with the American Cultual beliefs,  which will avoid intruding on basic Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. (regardless of what the Supreme Court has ruled.

All early signs point to erosion of ObamaCare

    All Signs Lead to the Destruction of ObamaCare
    Vital Signs Diminishing for Obamacare Is Life Support Imminent?
    The Fears About IPABs in the Affordable Care Act
    Death Spiral ? Is this the Black Hole for the Affordable Care Act?
    Will the Affordable Care Act Overwhelm the Health System?

    ACO Expectations May be Unrealistic
   

Senator Orin Hatch has initiated a Legislative proposal has connected changes leading to a uniform health insurance system:


Title 1: Repeal the President’s Health Care Law
        Section 101: Repeal Obamacare
Title 2: Replace Obamacare With Sustainable, Patient-Centered Reforms
        Section 202: Create a New Protection To Help Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions
Section 203: Empowering Small Business and Individuals with Purchasing Power
Section 204: Empowering States With More Tools to Help Provide Coverage While Reducing Costs
Section 204: Expand and Strengthen Consumer Directed Health Care
Title 3: Modernize Medicaid to Provide Better Coverage and Care to Patients
        Section 301: Transition to Capped Allotment to Provide States with Predictable Funding and Flexibility
        Section 302: Reauthorize Health Opportunity Accounts To Empower Medicaid Patients
Title 4: Reducing Defensive Medicine Practices And Getting Rid of Junk Lawsuits
        Section 401: Medical Malpractice
Title 5: Increasing Price Transparency to Empower Consumers and Patients
        Section 501: Requiring Basic Health Care Transparency to Inform And Empower Patients
Title 6: Reducing A Distortion in the Tax Code That Increases Health Costs
        Section 601: Capping the Exclusion of An Employee’s Employer-Provided Health Coverage

There is no reason why employer group coverage cannot be continued with the caveat that it must conform to not banning pre-existing issues, and eliminating any cap on benefits.
Tax code issues regarding health benefits should not have a limit, nor require a threshold of income under which deductions can be claimed.
The IRS should be prevented from administering penalties, nor punish using a penalty and/or fine mechanism.

Taken together the aforementioned ideas will lead to an end result. Each section must be evaluated against a background of common sense without regard to self-interest in any part of the health system.

If we want a re-birth of our system we cannot drag along the dysfunctions present in our present system.
I would add the aspect of improving the health of our citizens.  This may not be properly measured by outcome studies based on reducing costs. The metrics need to be re-evaluated for that component of reform.

The underlying and most important goal is to improve access and quality of care. While Obamacare addresses costs, it does little if nothing to improve access. This challenge requires more funding for primary care physicians education and reassess certain specialties now included in primary care listings. Many internist are not primary care oriented, although considered PCP, nor are obstetricians/gynecologists.