Politics Blog : Olivo, Luetkemeyer Outline Health Care Goals

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Politics Blog : Olivo, Luetkemeyer Outline Health Care Goals

Two Republican candidates to replace U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia, outlined general principles to revamp the nation's health care system.

Former state Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, told the Tribune in an interview last week that health care solutions can be formulated between a patient and a doctor. He delineated a scenario where a Medicare patient went through a cumbersome and costly regiment to inject antibiotics.

"I was talking to a gentleman the other day, a doctor. And he was talking about a Medicare person who had a serious infection," Luetkemeyer said. "They put a port his arm in order to deliver antibiotics intravenously. He was in good enough physical condition that he could go home … and inject himself through the port with the proper amount of antibiotics. Medicare says you can't do that. You have to be in a hospital setting or a nursing home setting. So, they're going to admit him to a nursing home to administer these antibiotics when he could be at home — and if you have to, have a home health care nurse go check on him once a day, twice a day... But instead, we're going to put them in a nursing home at $100, $150 a day, whatever it is, and run up several thousand dollars worth of bills without a commonsense care plan between the doctor and the individual."

"If you have to design a program to provide services for something, would you prefer to give that program to a business or would you prefer to give that program to the government to run?" Luetkemeyer added. "I think you think very quickly think why would you give any program to the government to run? Because they never run it efficiently, it always costs more than they say. It doesn't deliver the proper amount of service. So why do we want to give health care, which is one of our most important services that are citizens need, to the government to try and provide?"

Former MU football player Brock Olivo sent on a newsletter this morning that had a lengthy section on health care. Olivo said that individuals should "be allowed to be active participants and investors in our own health care plans." He also said that health care records needed to be computerized and competition among insurance companies needed to increase.

"As a former scrawny kid, who through hard work and dedication rose to the highest levels of professional sport, I understand how healthy choices can change a life," Olivo said in the newsletter. "I realize it will be hard for a rookie member of the minority party to advance legislative change. However, I am no stranger to adversity. I was told that I would never play running-back in high school, much less college football or in the NFL."

Olivo and Luetkemeyer are in a five-person race for the GOP nomination to replace U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia.

It is my belief that America has the highest quality of health care in the world. Having lived abroad for some time, I feel comfortable making this statement.

Our historical problem has always been the availability of our health care system. Likewise, our cultural problem has been living healthy lifestyles that would enable us to live longer.

Access to affordable health care is the number one issue people discuss with me as I travel across the 9th District with my campaign. It is the first thing that comes up with business owners. It is usually one of the first topics that comes up with individual Missourians, and to no surprise, it is a hot topic with those in the health care profession.

As a former scrawny kid, who through hard work and dedication rose to the highest levels of professional sport, I understand how healthy choices can change a life. I realize it will be hard for a rookie member of the minority party to advance legislative change. However, I am no stranger to adversity. I was told that I would never play running-back in high school, much less college football or in the NFL. While I recognize the uphill battles that lie ahead, if you elect me as your next Congressman I will promise to address the following:

• Employers should not be the only source of health care insurance. Individuals should be allowed to be active participants and investors in our own health care plans. The government should be there as a safety net and traffic cop only.

• Health care costs should be openly available for consumers. Emergency and planned procedures should not bankrupt Americans.

• Providers must be encouraged to adopt Electronic Medical Records. Too many patients are suffering from errors in paper records. Time and money is too often wasted in re-creating patient records that already exist. Most importantly, electronic medical records can save lives.

• Insurance competition must be increased. This includes creating plans where big companies, small companies, and private individuals can buy the same policies across state lines in a nationwide market. If it works for car insurance, why shouldn't it work for health care?

• Individuals must be able to take their policy coverage with them in the event of a change of employment. We should also be able to compare costs and performance ratings of providers.

• Working with Americans to plan for the future through savings and insurance plans for long term care.

• We must inspire a cultural change towards preventive measures and healthy lifestyles. This should begin at home with our younger Americans and be followed throughout our lives.

I would prefer to see a health care system that offered products to incentivize healthy lifestyles and wellness.

The fact is that roughly a third of our children less than 18 years of age are considered obese and are at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and many other issues. We should require physical education no less than 3 days a week in our learning institutions at all levels. We should calculate our student's body mass index and waist measurements to share with parents. If a student is on the right track, we should reward them with an investment into their Health Savings Account. If a student is falling onto a wrong track, then steps to encourage improvement should be taken. The ancient Greeks and Romans understood the correlation between a healthy lifestyle and academic performance: mens sana in corpore sano - from a healthy body comes a healthy mind.

For employers, and to benefit their non-student employees, we can reward companies that implement healthy living incentives. I would also like to see tax benefits for companies that contribute or match employee contributions to Health Savings Accounts similar to a 401(k).

Regarding the costs of health care, there has to be a new business model of transparency created. Consumers should know what it will cost them - or their insurance provider - before they treat the local emergency room as a walk-in clinic. Likewise, patients should know the costs of medical services to make an informed choice for required procedures.

While I believe strongly in personal freedoms, many smokers I personally know are gripped by an addictive habit and would love to quit. The government can work with these folks individually or through private employers and insurance companies to promote smoking cessation programs and tools to reduce the chronic diseases attributed to smoking.

With healthier individuals, the government will have to spend less and less in treating illness and can focus more and more on preventing illness.

I do not pretend to have all the answers in addressing our current health care predicament. I do believe I am offering some interesting ideas and I would like to hear your opinions. Please feel free to drop me an email at Brock@BrockOlivo.com to share your thoughts and suggestions.

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