2003 Health Care System Reform Proposal for The O'Connor Report "Build An American Health System" Contest

I am pleased to have found an appropriate forum in which to voice my thoughts and feelings on the state of the U. S. health care system. My feelings run deep, and I have always been frustrated at not having had anywhere to deposit my ideas. After all, when it comes to dealing with civil and social issues, our society is so bureaucratic, that change only takes place on a glacial scale. Just as most people, I have heard few constructive suggestions or ideas concerning reform or improvement to our health care system. The most publicized is, of course, a national health care plan administered by the government. Although I rely on our national government for many things, I think they have enough to do (which with what they already have, they all too often don't do well), without taking on another enormous undertaking, such as health care. And that's not to say that I think the "private sector'' (buzzword) is far superior to the government, either. On the contrary, I think the private sector is .just as incompetent sometimes, as the government. But by no means does the private sector have any superior methods or processes that exceed the government in efficiency or productivity. The only difference that the private sector has versus the government is profits. Profits are the driving force that on the one hand drives the private sector to produce quickly, but on the other hand, profits are the driving force of so many inequities in our society. (Dare I mention the recent Wall Street scandals, and some of the outrageously light sentences handed out so far? And that's just for starters!) In summary, the private sector is just as vulnerable to exploits and weakness as any level of government, be it local or national!

In any case, I have many thoughts and feelings on our current health care system, and I feel that my ideas are no less ridiculous than the next guy's (or gal's!) Sensing that there is too much opposition for any change at all, due to too many vested interests, I'm sure my suggestions may be regarded as entirely valid as my proposal in this document is pursued. As a matter of fact, I think that my ideas are more realistic than some others, including a previously proposed health care system known as the single payer health care system1, which is a government administered system. There are some interesting aspects to it, such as reducing or eliminating much of the paperwork undertaken by our current system, but as a rule, new government run health care systems are taboo, right? They'd be a disaster, (just kidding), just like Medicare, a government run health care system that we all know and love, which has been working fairly well for seniors for over thirty years. Seriously though, when opponents scorn ideas involving national health care systems, they should be reminded that one has existed for years, called Medicare, and it has not proven to be the disaster government run health care systems have been purported to be. Granted, it could use a few improvements, many which have been resisted by the U. S. Congress for years. I will come to these improvements later, in the Medicare section.

I feel my health care system plan is realistic because it works with what we already have, rather than tearing everything down and starting anew. One reason that the single payer system is dead on arrival is because it attempts to eliminate the entire health insurance industry, which, while not entirely ridiculous, isn't going to happen! One might get the impression, however, that my ideas are too negative, harsh or draconian. My response would be that when faced with very difficult problems impending on doom, some very difficult decisions must be made! And as far as I can see, no serious effort has ever been undertaken, other than this rash of health care maintenance organization plans, which I regard as a small band-aid solution that has effectively kept our system status quo. However, I must admit that the cynic in me makes me see a glass half empty: the system is very corrupt. My view of government's role in society is that it not only provides structure and a system of law and order, but it is often necessary for government to step in and control those situations that get out of control. In an ideal world, there would be no need for government, because everyone on this earth would behave themselves, and never take more than their fair share. I'm sure it's no surprise to anyone that we do not live in an ideal world! The health care industry is out of control-totally! Since the industry has had a multitude of opportunities to regulate itself, and has failed to do so, or, in some instances, has refused, 1 think it's time that the government step in and do it for them (if they can-there are no guarantees there either!).

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