What Would Joseph Do?
A Health Plan for 21st Century America

This health plan proposal addresses four aspects of the health care crisis. It aims to make substantial reductions in the number of uninsured, but not eradication of this category. It attempts to be politically possible. It avoids the cure all effort of the 1993 well intended Clinton plan. It views the chief problem of the 21st century as being a technology and demographic problem. Namely, how does an efficient productive work force pay for retiree health benefits of a pre efficiency work force? How does a streamlined number of young people pay for health care for the approaching elder boom. This is a 30 year plan to carry America through the next 30 years of the elderization of American health needs. By removing elders from the active employee risk pool it makes employer based health insurance more affordable and accessible. It has four components:

1. It creates Medicare 60 Rx, universal primary health care for everyone over age 60. It enrolls everyone and provides a comprehensive Medicare A, B and Rx plan. This reduces costs to every employee based plan and will expand affordability and coverage.
2. It creates a state based small employer health plan coop for employers with less than 100 employees. This reduces a large segment of the uninsured by enrolling employees of small companies into affordable health insurance.
3. It creates the universal medical savings account. Everyone may open a family health care trust savings account at their bank or credit union with a debit card usable only for medical providers. All deposits and payments are tax free.
4. It creates a national medical malpractice cap of $ 500,000 for non economic damages. For loss of life and total disability caused by reckless negligence proven by clear and convincing evidence it creates a $1 million cap. These proposals will reduce the number of uninsured significantly. It will spread senior costs across a wider societal risk pool. It will make employee based insurance more affordable and accessible. The plan will help the elderly in society and confront America's elder boom.

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