Legislator's FYI

Legislators' FYI

Leeches vs. Laser Surgery:

The Contemporary Crux of Health Care Reform

Contrary to “conventional wisdom,” on the issue of Health Care Reform (and all others), the Democrats are the party of the past. We Republicans are the party of the present and future.

Bluntly, Democrats are fighting against the times. Their stale, government-run health deform proposals are as out-dated and unsuited to contemporary life as a leeching is to laser surgery. We do not live on a government-run globe.

We live in a people powered world, one which is finally catching up to America’s revolutionary experiment in human freedom and self-government. Therefore, in opposing the Democrats’ fossilized model of government-run health care that usurps self-government, the public and Republicans embrace the communication revolution and globalized market that supersedes massive, bureaucratic entities and empowers people as citizens and consumers. Consequently, we understand health care reform must match – not resist – the worldwide economic and communications advances by decentralizing government to provide the sensible, affordable reforms that foster patient-centered wellness, transparency and free market forces.

The heart of patient-centered wellness for our people powered world are prudent, targeted, multi-track reforms that leverage the communications revolution and market forces will increase the supply of health care to meet the rising demand and reduce costs. Immediate, obvious measures include, but are not limited to, the reforming medical liability laws; ending exclusions for pre-existing conditions; expanding Health Savings Accounts; providing tax credits for purchasing private health insurance; allowing Association Health Plans; permitting health insurance purchases across state lines; encouraging individuals to insure against changes in health status; incentivizing preventative health care; and applying information technology to enhance transparency and increase efficiencies. All this can be achieved without trillions in new spending and taxes and government dictated, radical changes to Americans’ current health care.

For the less fortunate and most vulnerable amongst us, there must be an expansion of Federally Qualified Health Clinics, which will provide patients with preventive and routine treatment; and end underserved people’s use of emergency rooms for primary health-care treatments. Doctors and other health care professionals can be incentivized to provide their services at these clinics for either immediate or future considerations; and a “Patient Navigator” program attached to each FQHC can assist the underserved in accessing the health care system. This approach will build true, community-based health care; and increase the power of economically disadvantaged patients to control their own health care. Finally, people suffering from “orphan diseases" – rare afflictions requiring a lifetime of special care – should be compassionately assisted through our nation’s social safety net.

Unfortunately, trapped in the past of a big government ideology and purblind to the people empowering wonders of our globalized world, the President and his Democratic majority cavalierly dismiss such sensible, affordable approach and determinedly toil behind closed doors to impose their radical health redistribution scheme on unwilling Americans. If the Democrats prevail, their health redistribution will impel higher costs, lower quality, fewer choices and lost jobs during this painful recession. There is a better way, the Republican way: patient-centered wellness for our people powered world.

Republican Policy Committee

 U.S. House of Representatives

Washington , DC 20515

Phone: 202-225-6168 Fax: 202-225-0931

http://houserepublicanpolicy.org