Question:
How would you restructure the market so that consumers have choice and so their benefits can’t be taken away and so that premiums don’t rise – as they have today – beyond the reach of working people?-- Jeff

Patricia's Answer:
Dear Jeff,

Thank you for your note. I agree with you that our current health care system needs reform – premiums are too high and the costs of health insurance coverage are damaging many Americans’ ability to protect their family, expand their business, and possess that peace of mind that is so important for a quality of life.

However, you are right that I do not believe the Democrats’ health care reform plans will work. I believe the plan is more about government control than it is about increasing access and affordability. Many liberal Democrats readily admit their goal is to dismantle the health care system and move people into a government option at the end of the day. Whether we get there now or later, a single-payer system is their goal and they make no secret about that.

Not only does this make little sense given the wide diversity of needs that many Americans have in regards to health care, it is not something our nation can afford nor is it the role of the federal government to be controlling such a large part of the nation’s economy. Not to mention the consequences of this path have not been fully aired – do we really want to outlaw private insurance, as has occurred in other nations with public health care? Make no mistake - that is the direction our nation’s leaders are taking us down, no matter which version of the bill emerges from Congress.

I’ve said before that one of my biggest issues with the current debate over health care is that the entire focus is on the wrong set of solutions. We should not be looking to the government to provide our health care or dictate to both businesses and individuals what they must do, which will limit economic freedom and do nothing to actually improve health care. Rather we should be looking at ways which will truly expand choice, allowing people to make their own health care decisions – thus expanding competition and thus lowering costs in the meantime.

This is also where the current system is inadequate – 85% of employers only offer one health care plan to their employees. That’s because health care coverage is too tied to one’s job, and as we go forward, we need to examine ways which will put more control of the hands of the consumer instead of the employer or, worse, the government.

Let’s open up the market by unleashing the people. Here's a start:

• We need to tear down artificial barriers to competition by allowing people to purchase health care across state lines.
• We need to give people a boost, not through driving them into government health care through fines, but by expanding tax credits for people to purchase health care.
• We need tort reform so doctors’ costs are not so high.
• We need to expand and encourage medical savings accounts, which will provide people an important safety net when their needs arise.

Again, it’s all about liberty -- in this case, economic liberty. The result of these forms will be to drive down costs while allowing people to choose the benefits they need and actually improve the quality of care.

I agree more competition in the market is needed – but that won’t come in the form of the federal government. We need solutions that will expand affordability, access, and portability while improving quality. That will come in the form of the market, and it is through expanding the market that we will find the true long term solutions to our health care problems – solutions which are in line with economic principles and also the spirit of our founding principles of our country.

Thank you.

Patricia Lightner