The American Spectator : Health Reform: Where to Go From Here

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The Right Prescription

Health Reform: Where to Go From Here

By Peter Ferrara on 1.27.10 @ 6:09AM

Republicans and conservatives now have their first chance to be heard.

(Page 3 of 3)

Republicans should move quickly to join together behind this common sense reform package, and communicate it to the public. They should aggressively seek to join with moderate Democrats who want to solve problems rather than promote government power. Conservative and grassroots activists should support such Republicans and Democrats in truly bipartisan collaboration, and help to communicate the message of real, constructive reform.

But Republicans and these new Democrat reformers must stay away from any reform component of any kind providing for health care rationing. These include fixed health care budgets, accountable care organizations, pay for performance, comparative effectiveness dictates, or "cost effectiveness" regulations, among others. This was the main source of grassroots revolt over health reform, and any new reform proposals will be closely monitored by grassroots watchdogs to raise a new angry revolt if they continue to be included. Republicans in particular are vulnerable to third party challengers if they cross the grassroots over this.

Instead, government policy should seek to maximize incentives for investment to maintain the most advanced, cutting edge, high-tech health care system in the world. Americans rightly want access to the latest possible miracle cure drugs and medical technology. Policymakers should tend carefully to maximizing incentives for health care innovation and breakthroughs, taking maximum advantage of rapidly advancing modern medical science. This is a central component of the high standard of living Americans expect, and demand.

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topics:
Health Care, Republicans

About the Author

Peter Ferrara is Senior Fellow at the Carleson Center for Public Policy, Director of Entitlement and Budget Policy for the Heartland Institute, and General Counsel of the American Civil Rights Union. He served in the White House Office of Policy Development under President Reagan, and as Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States under the first President Bush. He is the author of America’s Ticking Bankruptcy Bomb, now available from HarperCollins.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (22) | Leave a comment

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.27.10 @ 7:05AM

It would be better to fight for finishing the border fence first along with real immigration reform. While that fight is waged, they should point out that the number of American citizens without health care is about 12 million. Only when you mix in the illegals does those figures move to 30 million.

Medicare and Medicaid are two programs headed to insolvency like many government programs. The Republicans should insist on flat lining government growth and call for a 2% reduction in the size of each and every government agency not related to Homeland Security or Military defense. That would easily pay for all health care.

Public service employment just passed private sector employment several weeks ago for the first time in our nation's history.

These are all related issues and unless they are handled together, little of consequence will occur.

republicanblack| 1.27.10 @ 1:21PM

Mr. O'Stalin,

I will not treat you bad because of the good half (irish). But you complain about illegals but where were you between '94-'07, the republicans ain't gonna do anything about illegals because their biz buddies make too much money on illegal labor, groves, meat cutting, restaurants, argi-business, etc. But let me inform you since you want to bring up culture/race with ur name. If anyone is going to do anything about illegals its Obama. WHY? because he is black. And why that matters, because in any population illegal labor affects minorities the most, thus illegals affect blacks so if you think Barak is all about O'Stalinism he is your best choice.

And another thing my friend maybe you need to look at why your argument against reform is flawed to begin with and isn't a true conservative point of view, I hate to do this but maybe you need to look at history and this article boy I love this guy he hits it on the nail every time, but I guess this is the rhetoric u get when FOX news does the thinking

http://keironjackman.wordpress.....ashington/

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.27.10 @ 9:07AM

Thank you, Mr. Ferrara
A very well written and thoughtful column.
I am CFO of our company, ...with a six thousand dollar deductible plan....and 100% coverage after that.
In addition, our company itself pays first dollar coverage for that $6,000.
Over the last four years, we have a net savings on health insurance premiums of about 30 % per year.

In addition, We have built a "kitty" to self insure those $6,000 deductibles for fully a third of our workforce in any given year .

Your numbers have certainly worked for us.

Al Adab| 1.27.10 @ 10:37AM

Ken,
Plans such as you outline are a very positive step and do exist widely.

Why upon retirement do individuals necessarily give up their coverage? Could they not continue "in the pool" by paying themselves the premium the company once payed on their behalf?

Also, could not local community hospitals establish membership co-ops like credit unions to provide, for an annual retaimer or "membership fee", needed service coverage? PHO's are successful in many areas of the country. Cannot they be encouraged through tax credits against premiums?

These concepts, and many others like them, represent a Conservative, market driven approach to universal coverage. I fear however, that coverage is not the goal but rather control.

Indiana Alex| 1.27.10 @ 9:14AM

This is a liberals nightmare. People in charge of healthcare decisions instead of a government pannel?

Who ever heard of such a thing?

JP| 1.27.10 @ 11:02AM

Besides what Peter Ferrara's pointed out, there are many other ideas concerning Medicare as well (probably the biggest entitlement). All are market based, and feature an assortment of tools, subsidies, and inventives that meet patients needs, as well as the doctor's and insurance companies.

In the short term (FY 2010) nothing will be done; the Dems will not give up on universal care run by the federal government. Thier base will not allow it, and I don't think the GOP is as foolish as to attempt to bail them out with one of thier famous compromises (note to Lindsay Gramm and John McCain -take a very long vacation).

Once the dust settles from the 2010 election, there will be enough GOP and Democratic lawmakers to forge real bi-partisan solutions for both Medicare and Medicaid. The President will have his healthcare feather in his cap, and all can come out on top. This nation cannot afford anymore to ignore this issue. And I think the Left has finally figured out it can no longer demonize the GOP over these 2 very expensive entitlements. I mean they can try, but if Obama and co. wish to evolve into a permanent minority party all they need to do is, "Stay the Course".

On deck: Social Security

Al Adab| 1.27.10 @ 11:23AM

re: SS

Best fix would be to retain the deduction, invest the money in a privately owned IRA or 401 or similar until say age 59 1/2 then allow use as the person sees fit. Exceptions could be made for medical necessities and the like, but putting people in control of their own money is a great step away from dependance on government. Of course that is what they can never allow. They want control.

Think as well what such market investment would mean for the capitalization of the economy. The growth rates would explode creating what JFK called a "rising tide" which lifts everyone.

Liberal Reader| 1.27.10 @ 12:19PM

Republicans don't want health care reform. They want health care reform to be the "Waterloo" of Obama.

Al Adab| 1.27.10 @ 2:13PM

Not true LR, see my above. Reform simply does not mean govt. control or provision.

Although, I hadn't considered the St. Helena solution. Might not be a bad idea.

Rocco| 1.27.10 @ 12:59PM

"With the public admission of Nancy Pelosi that she does not have the votes in the House to pass the Senate health bill, President Obama's government takeover of health care appears to have stalled out, at least for now."

Bullshit! I don't trust that lying slimebag Democrat Congress to give up that easy. I suspect that they will try some legislative maneuver, force the House to agree with the Senate version of the bill, and "wink, wink, we'll get it right later with simple majority votes." That way they can continue to overturn the will of the people, of late expressed in the election up in Mass, and work around the 60-vote majority requirement in the Senate and a messy House-Senate conference to reconcile their bills. The sooner we declare open season on these sleezebags, the better the country will be.

I didn't spend 30 years in uniform only to witness the perversion and subversion of our Constitution, which I and millions of others swore to protect and defend. Against ALL enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC.

Jay Sacco, MD| 1.27.10 @ 2:36PM

The PC pabulum concerning health care reform must end and a new era of self responsibility must replace the expectation of "free" care to rescue those in the throes of totally preventable maladies that serve to unjustly financially burden those of us who lead conscientious lives. Furthermore, we all need to understand that for the "liberal/progressive" envy machine, attacking medicine from Lyndon Johnson onward was, for them, their first test case to bring down a successful national corporate structure. These incapable reprobates have promulgated a derisive campaign against the BEST health care system the world has ever seen based on a foundation of lies and half truths. They have been successful in many ways but if they are allowed to place the yoke of "Obama-Care" upon our society, that will mark the end of our way of life based on The Founders' constitutional concepts. Additionally, "affordable access" could easily be achieved by permitting insurance companies to compete for health care dollars across ALL state lines. The political machine in DC will not allow this because, if they did, the lobbying dollars from these companies would dry up in an instant. Corporate executives, bankers and small businessmen everywhere should not be shocked to see these same liberal, progressive hate-mongers attempt analogous deceptions to usurp their successes in an effort to equalize all manner of parameters for their chronically unmotivated and socially and fiscally dependent sycophants. Time to wake up and fight these "Beltway" political crooks who only wish to marginalize what good doctors do for patients and use their hypocrisy to enrich themselves!

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.27.10 @ 4:29PM

Doctor, we are with you, sir. If this monster passes, we will hope you docs and the truckdrivers .....take a sabbatical.

If our congress critters can't stop this, we productive citizens can. Stock up on food and essentials, guys.

Rick Banas| 1.27.10 @ 4:35PM

The Right Prescription for Health Care Reform needs to include innovative approaches to help ensure quality at a cost we can afford. This is especially important as we look at the pending impact of the aging of the Baby Boomers in the not-to-distant future.

I suggest Republicans as well as Democrats look to an innovative program developed here in Illinois as a model. Supportive Living is a Medicaid-waiver program that benefits the State as well as older adults and their families. Supportive Living is a much more cost-effective approach than a nursing home for older adults who need some help to maintain their independence but do not require skilled nursing care. The cost to Illinois for a person on Medicaid in Supportive Living is at least 40% less than in a nursing home.

The first Supportive Living community opened just over 10 years ago. Today, there are nearly 120 communities located throughout the State. Last year alone, the program benefitted an estimated 6,000 individuals on Medicaid.

These are people who otherwise would be in nursing homes, costing the state considerably more, or struggling alone at home, increasing the odds of needing either nursing home care or other health care services.

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