Healthcare in
the United States1-5
The current U.S. healthcare system is
fundamentally flawed, making its reformation essential for the
nation’s economic prosperity and individuals’ physical health,
and according to some, is on the verge of imploding. As a
result, healthcare costs are now seen by many economists as the
greatest threat to both private-sector economic growth and
government budgets. Rising healthcare costs constrain job
creation and real wage growth. Increases in publicly funded
healthcare costs are straining budgets at the federal, state and
local levels of government.
Financial Principles
1. Costs for this
healthcare will be paid for by a health security tax. Medicare
insurance collections currently come from 2.9 percent
(approximately) deductions on wages, salaries, etc. This will
increase to 9.0 percent and Medicare contributions will no
longer be necessary.18
Healthcare costs will also be supported by taxes on things that
directly or indirectly contribute to health problems such the
direct effect of alcohol, tobacco, drugs and the indirect
effects of high-caloric density and nutritionally deficient
foods and of automobile fuel that contribute to excess body
weight and inadequate physical activity.19
3. Costs for healthcare will be capped at less than 70
percent of the present annual medical care expenditures.
Establish a simple claims and payment system with one clear set
of rules to reduce administrative costs. Overhead costs of
private insurers now consume 25% to 30% of the premium dollar;
under universal health insurance this would be less than 5%.20
4. Low-risk individuals can realize a rebate of their health
security premiums. High-risk individuals can receive no rebate.
The high-risk individuals most importantly include those
overweight and obese, tobacco users, drug users, and alcohol
abusers.21 |
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