Issue Position: Healthcare

Issue Position

I believe that access to quality, affordable healthcare should be a right and not a privilege in America. Medical Care is one of the biggest costs every American faces. The New Health Care Bills do not have ANY Price Controls. For our Nation to lower Health Care costs, we have to create maximum prices for procedures and room costs. The following link shows that, on average, Health Care charges are TRIPLE the cost of Health Care Costs.

Every year trauma clinics are shutting down due to cost overruns. Providing medical care to the masses is becoming very expensive. Working Americans pay monthly premiums and deductibles for health insurance. Many of these people are reluctant to see a primary care doctor due to the costs they will incur. State and Federal government programs supplement the costs of medical care for low income families and the elderly. Medicaid and Medicare are beneficial and can be used to fund programs that will serve even more people. New programs will redefine how medical service is provided to the public. We propose a multi-faceted approach to solving America's health care crisis. Instead of eliminating the current system, we plan to create a new system that will supplement and even compete with the medical system. The way medical care is provided to the public will change through the development of Mobile Medical Units. Costs can be reduced by increasing the number of doctors in the marketplace and thereby lowering the costs that doctors charge. Payment for these services will be augmented by a centralized healthcare fund. But, for most Americans that are currently uninsured, a small Cash Co-Pay will be required for basic nonessential treatments. Imagine the effect a $20 Fee would have on the amount of unnecessary treatments that are currently performed. Much of the unnecessary Emergency Room uses will be greatly reduced. Also, Pharmaceutical costs can be reduced when the government becomes involved in the manufacturing process. Currently the Pharmaceutical Industry is reimbursed by the Government for 45% of their Research and Development Costs. The NIH is currently funding many studies. Unfortunately, the public never benefits directly from these funds. We want to re-divert these dollars to develop a Government manufacturer that can make generic drugs for the mass market. Also, research to discover the causes of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease can be expedited through intensive data collection by a thorough census. We believe preventative healthcare could greatly benefit from this strategy.

Source