Healthcare Reform

Healthcare reform has been a hot topic yet again in the recent weeks, with conservatives upset at how little it is looking to change, and liberals upset that anything is changing at all. Libertarians for the most part agree on “Repeal and do not replace.” The question to others is then - how does any of this help the American people?

Let’s take a look at what the government has been working to do, and how it has affected the people. From the beginning, the Affordable Healthcare Act has not been about making healthcare itself affordable, but rather increasing the amount of Americans covered by medical insurance. While one may argue this could also make healthcare more affordable, it also ensures an out of pocket cost, regardless of need of service or beliefs of the individual.

The purpose of insurance is to cover the unplanned, the unexpected. Why, then, must we have insurance in order to afford the most basic treatments and regular check-ups? The problem doesn’t lie with Americans not being covered by insurance, but rather by the fact that the system assumes that everyone is. With every deal and loophole each company has with a medical practice come more regulations and when and what an individual may be able to get. Would it not be better to be able to seek the type of treatment you need when you need it, and allow that specialist to help you choose a medical option that is best for you, rather than going through such deals and loopholes?

There are a growing number of doctors who are turning away from the insurance system. Instead, they have membership fees and flat rates. Each patient knows going in what their healthcare will cost and aren’t surprised by extra fees of tests and procedures. Because the doctor isn’t bound by insurance regulations, the patient and the doctor can move forward with best procedures for the patient rather than seeking approval by a profit-earning third party.

The idea of affordable healthcare isn’t a negative thought, but more regulation is having the opposite effect. By forcing people to be insured, it drives the demand up and raises prices. By requiring certain coverage, there is less to compete with and more responsibility on even the most basic plans. The cost of staying insured is rising every year and an exponential rate because the market is no longer in play.

Repeal and do not replace is not saying we want health care to be for the wealthy. Quite the contrary - repeat and do not replace will allow the market to even itself out, allowing businesses to compete again and encouraging practices to let their patients know the real cost of health care.