Foundation for Better Government

The goal of this non-partisan Foundation is to present and invite ideas for improving the structure and the quality of government performance on a continuous basis. Every government must be responsive, responsible, efficient, economical, and free of corruption.

Friday, July 28, 2017

HEALTH CARE By T.S.Khanna, July 28, 2017.

                    FOUNDATION FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT, ALAMO, CA-94507.

                                                             HEALTH CARE
                                                  By T.S.Khanna, July 28, 2017.

For more than a decade, health care plan has consumed numerous expensive man-hours of Congress at the tax payers' expense with no result.

The Affordable Health Care (Obama Care), more than two thousand pages long, was adopted last year by the Democrats in majority, without knowing what is in it.  Now we find out that it is neither affordable nor it carries the promises of the leaders.

For more than five years, Republican Party has bragged about a better plan to replace Obama Care.  Now we find out that they never had any plan.

When we base our plans on "robbing Peter to pay Paul", it is a political economy and the involved issues become unsolvable.  Democracy works best under free market economy and it can collapse under the strain of political economy.  Our past efforts for PUBLIC health care have been very successful but for INDIVIDUAL health care they have been self-defeating.  We must learn lessons and use them.

With due respects to the Medicare Plan, we note that it has upset the free market in individual health care.  It has made doctors, hospital administrators, and pharmaceutical companies wealthy but not served the poor as much as intended.  In fact, to a great extent, Medicare is responsible in making health care non-affordable in the USA.

Keeping in view the health care history, it is recommended:

1.  Congress may abandon the health care plans and devote itself to more pressing issues like tax reform, immigration issues, and foreign affairs.

2.  Phase out the Medicare.  Doctors-hospital fees and drug prices will soon adjust to the affordable level in free market competition.

3.  Eliminate tax on the low income and reduce tax on the middle income people: no tax up to $ 100,000 per year income, and 20% tax up to $500,000 yearly income.  They can spend their own money on health care or save it by taking care to stay healthy.

4.  For the poor with no resources, encourage religious institutions to start health care facilities by allowing adequate tax breaks.  It is doable.