Post by Patrick Ryan on Aug 17, 2009 5:58:16 GMT -6
Let us start with an easy assumption. I will go out on a limb and assume that for the most part, if you don't have health insurance, it is because you either chose not to get it (no help for you) or you can't afford it. Easy enough right?
Let us also assume, that for the most part, if you cannot afford health insurance, you are most likely already on some form of government assistance (WIC, food stamps (Lone Star card), etc.
Step 1. If you have satisfactory health insurance, the .gov steps away and leaves you alone.
Step 2. If you are already on .gov assistance, each month when you receive your check/benefits, etc, you also receive a voucher for that month.
Any doctor that accepts Medicare/Medicaid, etc will accept this voucher. What this voucher does is this. The doctor imputs this voucher number onto his invoice. The patient pays what he/she can pay. Similar to a co-pay of sorts. $20, $30, whatever. A certain percentage, say 65% of the rest of the invoice is a tax deductible, charitable type tax deduction for the doctor/hospital/clinic.
Illegal immigrants are not eligible for this program.
Let the IRS handle this problem. If there is anything the government cad do well, it is to take our money. Use that to our benefit.
The only other thing to do is to allow people to purchase insurance across state lines, or across country lines if necessary, and to forbid insurance companies from denying coverage based solely on pre-existing conditions.
I am not an economist or health care professional. I do not play one on television. I did not even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. But I not see why this would not work.
Opinions? Criticisms?
Let us also assume, that for the most part, if you cannot afford health insurance, you are most likely already on some form of government assistance (WIC, food stamps (Lone Star card), etc.
Step 1. If you have satisfactory health insurance, the .gov steps away and leaves you alone.
Step 2. If you are already on .gov assistance, each month when you receive your check/benefits, etc, you also receive a voucher for that month.
Any doctor that accepts Medicare/Medicaid, etc will accept this voucher. What this voucher does is this. The doctor imputs this voucher number onto his invoice. The patient pays what he/she can pay. Similar to a co-pay of sorts. $20, $30, whatever. A certain percentage, say 65% of the rest of the invoice is a tax deductible, charitable type tax deduction for the doctor/hospital/clinic.
Illegal immigrants are not eligible for this program.
Let the IRS handle this problem. If there is anything the government cad do well, it is to take our money. Use that to our benefit.
The only other thing to do is to allow people to purchase insurance across state lines, or across country lines if necessary, and to forbid insurance companies from denying coverage based solely on pre-existing conditions.
I am not an economist or health care professional. I do not play one on television. I did not even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. But I not see why this would not work.
Opinions? Criticisms?