Common Sense Approach to Health Care Reform

The new health care law is a debacle that requires radical reform. The following is my suggestion. If you think it sounds sensible, please copy it and send it to your own congressman (after the election - if you send it before, they may no longer be your congressman). I will post this again on November 3rd, just as a reminder:

First, Congress should go over the health care law, line by line and throw out anything that does not pertain to health care, such as the item requiring all businesses to file 1099's for every $600 of purchases

Congress should then go over the law, item by item and ask, "Does this make health care more expensive without any true benefit?" If the answer is yes, throw it out.

Congress should then remove any personal mandate against any American citizen, and any unfunded mandate to the states

Then Congress should go over each remaing item and ask, "Does this make health CARE better, without increasing the costs?" If the answer is that it does make care better but at a cost, take it out and set it aside for the moment.

Congress should then ADD items that make health care either better with little or no expene, such as tort reform and buying insurance across state lines.

What you now have is a health care law that is all about health care, and makes care better without increasing the cost appreciably. And that would be the new law.

THEN...

Congress should then take up each of the items that were set aside - the ones that make care better, but more expensive. Like buying a car, these are the "extra cost options". The actual benefit, in clear terms should be listed, along with a true cost. These items should then be presented to the people to see which options America wants, based on the cost vs the benefit. Americans should be encouraged to let their congressmen know which options they want. The congressmen should take the desire of their constituents into consideration before voting YEA or NAY.

To insure America is informed, Congress should be required to post the options, true benefits and true cost in ALL media outlets, at least 3 days per week for 4 weeks, which would also list a webpage where they can get the contact info for their congressman.

No lobbyists should be allowed to participate in this. Lobbyists do not represent Americans - they represent only a small, select portion. When pitted against a lobbyist, the average American will lose every time.

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