[l2ridehd]

Unfortunately we are fast becoming a nation of people who believe they are entitled to everything without having to pay for it. If it comes from the government it must be free. This includes health care. Until we move away from the entitlement way of thinking we will never solve this problem. Making a decision to not work or work less or let someone else take care of me has to have consequences. Those that can't help themselves should get help from all of us who can. Those that can but don't should not. Then and only then can we as a nation succeed with things like health care for all and retirement plans that work and other government social programs.

So what do we do about the current health care issues? There are several things that can be done but will be painful and expensive for all.

1. Get the government out of health care EXCEPT for a high deductible, catastrophic, supplemental plan with no pre existing limits. Maybe something like a 20K annual deductible with a multi million cap and an annual premium that is affordable and require everyone have it. This way private insurance can become competitive when they know they have some maximum expense. Lots of other details needed but something along this concept.
2. A limit on tort for medical malpractice along with a license removal when any doctor is sued X times. Get the bad ones out and a cap on total expense will again make the insurance more affordable and allow doctors to cut cost.
3. Allow drug companies a better way to expense drug development and testing to cut the total cost of new medicines. This is an area that adds significant cost to medical care, but is also required if we want to maintain a best of the best health care system.
4. Make medical school more affordable by providing interest free subsidized loans for those wanting to become doctors.

These four steps would be costly, but less then the current "affordable care act" is currently costing. It would cost all of us more then we now pay but would also provide access to excellent care and eliminate the fear of going broke when you have a serious illness. Again lots of details needed but this type of plan would work and cut total cost for all of us in the long term while still providing the best health care available. And there would always be the naysayers who will want the government completely out and the lawyers who will still want the large tort fees and will lobby against it, but if everyone supported something like this it would work.