Free Clinics
Let me be blunt. There are those parasites who milk the system for all its worth. I’ve driven through “poor” neighborhoods in my 10 year-old car and passed people on cell phones, driving new SUVs, wearing $100 sneakers who probably do not have health insurance, receive food stamps, free school lunches, and live in low rent housing. We have succeeded in removing all incentive to work hard to succeed by providing these persons more than any of our grandparents would have had—for nothing! And, nothing gets you nothing. No effort to improve, no desire to become a productive member of society, no ability to teach their children to strive for a better life. Quite frankly I’ve paid enough for their lifestyle. Since we are talking about healthcare let me say it makes me sick. Having said that, I realize there are unfortunate people who are trying very hard who cannot afford healthcare that need somewhere to go. A government or charity run free clinic is their best option and there is nothing wrong with such a place. And let me be even more blunt—if the parasites who are fully capable of working would get off their big rear ends and out of the way the free clinic could do a far better job of serving those who really need it.
One way of developing more free clinics with quality service is to create a program where a doctor’s school tuition and expenses are paid by the government in exchange for a commitment to work one day a week at a free clinic for ten years. It takes far longer than that for a doctor to pay off the huge debt they incur becoming a doctor. I would hope that they would find the experience rewarding and would continue after their debt is cleared. There are many doctors who volunteer their time here in America and overseas so it is not something that would be shunned.
Concierge Medical Practices
I’ve never been rich and never will be. There are times
I want to spit on some arrogant snob’s Mercedes. However, a free enterprise system gives everyone the opportunity to achieve
wealth and enjoy the rewards—including premiere healthcare. Are they better than me? No. A fact of life is that
some people can afford to buy steak while I can afford hamburger or in those slow months bologna. I’m sure Ted Kennedy didn’t
sit in a waiting room at a clinic. Socialists want everything equal, yet it never is. Either you are a worker doing more
than others to provide for the common good, you are a parasite taking more than you provide, or you are the powerful leader of the
party that makes decisions for everyone else while making sure you get the best. Concierge medical practices are an alternative
for those who have the means to get exceptional service and convenience. Put aside your jealousy and realize that if it takes
these folks out of the waiting room at you family practice you might just get more doctor time yourself.
Tort Reform
In my opinion one of the easiest to fix causes of runaway healthcare cost is tort reform. Why won’t congress address this? Oh, wait, could it be because most congresspersons are lawyers or get enormous campaign donations from lawyers? Once again, who are they serving, the American people or their own self-interest and political party? We used to look down our noses at ambulance chasers, now we get a steady diet of them on television. Now, not all lawyers are evil snakes in the grass without any scruples. However, those that do hiss and live in huge houses purchased from the gains they garner from outrageous settlements are a major cause of escalating healthcare costs. Texas and California introduced tort reform and have seen dramatic decreases in the cost of healthcare insurance premiums.
Doctor, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical equipment manufacturers, insurance companies, and even administrators
live in fear of making some small error that a greedy lawyer pounces upon to gain big rewards for themselves. Sorry, I’m a cynic;
I don’t believe they do it for the poor patient.
SOLUTION 12: Settlement Formula
The reason we have compensation for malpractice is to help patients live relatively normal lives after an unfortunate accident or mistake. They should be compensated. The goal is to help them live as normal a life as close to what they were living before the occurrence. Development of a settlement formula that is reasonable based on a number of factors would make the process easy, fair, and give the patient funds more quickly. The formula would address previous lifestyle, degree of impact, need, and events that led to the suit. Within the formula can be a standard lawyer fee, not a percentage of settlement that is so attractive to chasers.
SOLUTION 13: Create a medical Review
Board
Each state should have a medical review board that evaluates claims each month. Based on their findings they can
recommend a settlement or deny any compensation. Of course, a patient can choose to appeal their decision and enter a lawsuit. If they are successful the settlement formula would come into play. The process should be quick to reduce suffering and unnecessary
financial strain.
SOLUTION 14: Doctor Waiver option to lower cost of services
We all know that even the simplest procedures
have some degree of risk. If a patient chooses to sign a waiver that precludes any lawsuit they can get a significant reduction
in the cost of services and procedures.
Alternative Medicine
If I suffer from an ailment my options are limited. As the
system now stands I have to accept pharmaceuticals that, in my opinion only cover up symptoms, or the insurance company won’t pay. If I would prefer to visit a naturopathic doctor, that should be my right. My visit should be paid for just as the above examples
were paid for. In fact, it would save the insurance companies countless millions of dollars in payments. Consider the
fact that when a patient is put on one prescription it is generally long term. Then the imbalance caused by the chemicals creates
the need for another prescription and another. How often have you heard a person say, “I take eight pills a day.”
Think
about this; I asked a naturopath doctor about acid reflux. People are taking drugs on a regular basis to control their acid
which has side effects and risks. He told me that most acid reflux is not too much acid but too little. Huh? When
you have too little acid the food remains in your stomach too long and hence you get the burning. His suggestion was to take
a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in water. It increases the acid and relieves the problem. I followed his advice and
after two events have been acid reflux free for years. Now how much would I have spent on prescription drugs to cover symptoms?
SOLUTION
15: Cover all medical care
Remember healthcare costs come out-of-pocket until the deductible is met. If you want to pursue
an alternative medical path, that is your right. To be honest we don’t know as much as we think we know about the human body,
why we get sick, and how to get well. If you choose pharmaceuticals, that is your right. The person who wishes to approach
their health through nutrition is equally correct. There are so many stories of patients who doctors told were terminal who
took a different direction and appear to have been cured that we cannot dismiss these. Conversely, there are people who chose
a non-traditional route who have died. Either way this is their right and no government has the authority to infringe upon that
right.
There is far more that can be discussed; electronic filing, patient’s rights, doctor shortages, and more. I don’t
claim to be the ultimate authority. I am, however, horrified by the short-sighted, big-government, another give-away program
approaches that are being discussed in Washington. Sadly, these folks are better at shaking hands, smiling, and getting elected
than they are at solving problems. They do not have the Constitutional right to force me to accept their version of healthcare!
SOLUTION 16: Vote out of office any congressperson, senator, or president that attempts to further burden the American citizen
with socialistic programs that are neither efficient nor effective nor legal.
It may take a while but we can replace those who
have lost any concept of why they are there with representatives who believe in founding father’s values, vision, and form of government. They will then repeal all of the entitlement laws that should never have been enacted.