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Monday, September 14, 2009

SALLY MORRIS: A PRESCRIPTION FOR BETTER HEALTH CARE

Now that we’ve gotten the Joint Session speech out of the way, real Americans can get to work on real solutions.

“We’ve got to do something!” is the mantra of those in our labor unions and government who are desperately trying to get the federal government’s foot wedged in the door to our right to our own health care and insurance decisions, our privacy and, of course, further into our finances.  There’s room for disagreement with the premise that there’s something wrong with our overall health care system - and even more with the idea that it’s any of the federal government’s business.

According to Mark Levin (Liberty and Tyranny, copiously footnoted), among the “46 million ‘Americans’” who are creating this so-called crisis are 9.5 million NON-Americans.  We can just lop them off right now, by the way.  But the inflated numbers being used by proponents to prop up the program they’re trying to foist off on us have been well-covered (Steve Cates, Dakota Beacon, August, 2009: “Byron, Kent and Earl: The 46 Million Deception”).

These people, it is commonly accepted, currently utilize our health care and don’t pay.  This is part of the “problem’ we need to “solve”.  If 9.5 million illegals now use our PRIVATELY funded system, how many more will be here next year to take advantage of the government’s determination to cover them with OUR TAXES?  You might not have been planning on these extra guests at the table.  Is this figured in?

You’ll note that no one on Capital Hill is talking about taxing THEM.  We can’t - they’re here illegally.  They just use us.

Here’s my prescription: Turn illegals away at the door except for life-saving emergency treatment - then transfer them right back across the border.  If Mexico is doing a rotten job maybe it’s their Socialist system.  Let these enterprising people who want something better fix their own government.

Now we’re down to 1) those who can afford and don’t want insurance, 2) the young and generally healthy and 3) those who are only temporarily between insurance plans.  These people do not need government intervention.  Suddenly we find somewhere under 5 million who want, need and can’t get insurance privately.  There is no need for Chicken Littles in Congress to run around clucking about a system where “there is no question” and “we all agree” that it needs to be “fixed”.

These fewer than 5 million might be encouraged to apply for coverage under state-subsidized plans or work out their own payment plans.  Or they could continue to impose on the general public - a far lesser cost, by the way, to everyone else than imposing a $1.5+ trillion federal health plan.

In addition to lifting regulations which prevent some Americans from choosing their own insurance - making it portable, for instance - there is something government CAN do - and it won’t cost us.  In fact, it will stimulate the economy.  First, give a tax deduction or credit to consumers for privately paid health insurance.  Then the government can give tax incentives to doctors and medical facilities for pro bono work - services provided to Americans who require treatment and haven’t the ability to pay for it.

Doctors have found it difficult to dedicate time to pursue enterprises many use to shelter some of their earnings.  They also pay exorbitant income tax.  They begin their professional lives with heavy debt and investment in education and technical staff, equipment and insurance.  Putting them on a low salary won’t fly.  We won’t have any doctors - at least none you’d take your kids or yourself to.  But a system which allows them deductions for their expert services provided to the indigent without charge would help the poor and would help them as well.  A physician might willingly devote a day every week at his own choice to pro bono service without further government involvement.  It could be extended to hospitals and clinics.

The qualifying services might exclude face-lifts, tummy tucks, abortions or other services not deemed necessary to alleviate pain, disability or the effects of illness or injury.  A patient might be required only to sign that he cannot pay and that the doctor has performed the services claimed.

The other lovely aspect of this is that a doctor who now has thousands of his own dollars back will spend or invest them, enriching us all through economic stimulus.  Discouragement of further invasion by illegal aliens would also create a positive effect on the bottom line.  A nice perk is that we won’t be engaging in government mandated taxation, fines, control or rationing or death boards.  All the bad stuff goes away and we get a lot of good stuff.  Tell your Congressman to move in THIS positive direction if he wants to “do something about health care”.  This is how the free market works when we allow it.

(Sally Morris is a member of Americans for Constitutional Government)

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