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President Barrack Obama (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Governor Bobby Jindal, R-LA, published an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal laying out an alternative to the health care reform plan currently under consideration in Congress. Gov. Jindal's plan addresses many of the systemic issues interfering with the efficient delivery of health care in the United States, and tackles tough problems by addressing consumer choice, transparency and tort reform.
Speaking of consumer choice and transparency Mr. Jindal writes:
"We need a system where individuals choose an integrated plan that adopts the best disease-management practices, as opposed to fragmented care. Pricing and outcomes data for all tests, treatments and procedures should be posted on the Internet. Portable electronic health-care records can reduce paperwork, duplication and errors, while also empowering consumers to seek the provider that best meets their needs.
Aligned consumer interests. Consumers should be financially invested in better health decisions through health-savings accounts, lower premiums and reduced cost sharing. If they seek care in cost-effective settings, comply with medical regimens, preventative care, and lifestyles that reduce the likelihood of chronic disease, they should share in the savings."
What the Governor is speaking about is reducing federal and state mandates in order to give consumers real choices between high and low deductible plans, and minimal or comprehensive coverage. He also seeks to increase portability by making it easier for citizens to purchase health insurance outside of their employer.
Speaking of tort reform he writes:
"The practice of defensive medicine costs an estimated $100 billion-plus each year, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, which used a study by economists Daniel P. Kessler and Mark B. McClellan. No health reform is serious about reducing costs unless it reduces the costs of frivolous lawsuits."
I have written previously of the need for tort reform and the dangers of a government option becoming the de facto only option.
After my recent two part series examining President Obama's health care plan, I found it refreshing to read through Governor Jindal's alternative. Empowering individuals to purchase health insurance in a truly free market is the best way to reduce costs while making health care delivery far more efficient. It is a serious and well thought-out series of proposals, and deserves consideration by anyone who intends to produce real health care reform, rather than just expand government control.
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Comments
We heard ALL the same rhetoric and promises with the inception of Medicare and Medicaid and where are those programs now? BANKRUPTING the nation. Obama said that in HIS FIRST SENTENCE last night.
If they cannot make M/M run in the black, what brain dead person could beLIEve them when they are repeating the same old lies again?
If you want the government saying how much can be gained from medical malpractice lawsuits, then surely you might also want the government saying what the maximum price for prescription drugs and gasoline to be too, right?
Xavier, thanks for the comment. unfortunately you must have misread portions of the article. I did not call for, nor I do want, the government telling lawyers what they can earn on lawsuit. What I want are changes at the federal and state level to certain laws and regulations which incentives frivolous lawsuits. Practices like venue shopping are used by lawyers to abuse the intent of civil suits and should no longer be allowed. Taking steps to discourage frivolous suits, like cost sharing by the plaintiff if the case is lost or found to be without merit. The right to sue for redress of grievances should not mean anyone can just throw their hat in for the lawsuit lottery. I could go on but it become a whole new post. Politicians have received large sums of money from the tort bar to ensure constant sources of new lawsuits, since most politicians are lawyers it makes sense they are looking out for their own, but it is not right.
I have come to the conclusion that ObamaCare is his version of Reparations. This was his mantra. “I am going to change America.”
“I consistently believe that when it comes to whether it’s Native Americans or African-American issues or reparations, the most important thing for the U.S. government
to do is not just offer words, but offer deeds,”
Watch Obama himself say it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aigoscTpwus
“Universal health care will diproportionatly effect people of color…”
This is his CHANGE, Reparations for his ACORN, SEIU, HCAN, ANSWER and other far left Communist friends of his.
Read this page and compare ObamaCare to this wish list.
acorn.org/index.php?id=2741&L=0%2Findex.php%3Fl...onosx.free.fr%2Fid.txt%3F
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