The repeated attempts to repeal The Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s health care law, needs a new approach. There should have been a compromise reached. Let me explain.
First, there were some 40 million Americans without health care insurance before Obamacare. And depending on who you listen to—because the facts are skewed by most commentators—there are probably around 20 million people who will choose not to buy coverage whether they could afford it or not. And there should be no repeal until a new workable healthcare law has been implemented.
The roll out of Obamacare has been a disaster. With more than 15,000 pages of regulations, no one really understands what is happening.
Here are the options, which I would like to see enacted to take the place of the current law—some of which are now a part of the subject law. These go beyond the much-needed delays in implementation which are desperately needed before any further attempts to fully implement the current law.
Take a look at my suggested options as the current law is repealed—some of which are now a part of the current law.
1. First, do away with the government-run Exchanges. They have been a major part of the failed new law.
2. An employee who has health insurance coverage should be able to keep his or her policy on moving from one job to another—“Portability.”
3. As in the current law, there should be no ban on pre-existing conditions; insurance companies should not be able to drop coverage for anyone, except for nonpayment of premiums as in the law; families should be allowed to keep children under coverage until 26 years of age; and there should be no limits on the dollar coverage under policies.
4. Preventative care, as in the current law, should be a part of new legislation.
5. Individuals should be able to purchase insurance across state lines, thus making premium costs more competitive because of more competition.
6. Electronic Health Records are a must because, over time, such systems would reduce the cost of health insurance and even provide more accurate health care for all Americans.
7. Medical liability reform is a must, as it would save some $100 billion dollars each year in defensive medicine.
8. And, there should be sliding scale systems of tax credits for the working poor.
9. There should be no government panels to decide what healthcare options are to be given to patients.
10. The new law must take a close look at deductibles and co-payments—issues which have caused many hospitals and physicians to drop coverage for patients who are unable to pay the deductibles and co-pays and have caused premiums to go out of control.
11. There should be a close look at tax deductions and tax credits for the working poor so that the premiums can be manageable for all.
All the above would cover those without insurance; get the government out of the insurance business; not raise premiums for health care insurance nearly as much as the Obama law; and continue a system where your doctor makes medical decisions—not a bureaucracy in Washington!
Robert R. McMillan served six years as the first on physician on the board of directors of the American Medical Association (2002-2008) and served on the board of directors of one of the largest health care insurance companies (1994-2005).
