Health -- A Personal Responsibility

Quoting (somewhat) out of context from President Obama's inaugural address:

"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves...."

The duties to ourselves include taking responsibility for our health. That includes our eating, personal habits, exercise -- and personally paying for our medical needs. Rather than the medical community and the health insurance industry deciding on individual health care, the individual takes responsibility for those decisions.

When the health insurance premiums are paid by the employer or subsidized through Medicare, there is no relationship to the service received from the medical community. Doesn't matter what tests are done. It doesn't cost the individual anything. No questions asked – run the tests. Prescribe the drugs.

The vast majority of people (including those over 65) are very healthy and have little need for medical care. For the healthy, a visit to the doctor every other year would be a small amount of money that could be readily handled by most any budget. What is really needed is coverage for those accidents and medical events that escalate into the thousands of dollars. Purchase of a major medical policy with deductibles based upon personal capability would be the correct solution.

Liken this to your home owners insurance. The home owner does the house maintenance and upkeep to the home. The owners insurance is for the major loss of the actual home.

That is the same approach that should be used for health care. Insure for the major medical items. Be self responsible for the small medical issues.

Positives and negatives of the approach:

Positive.... Considerably less cost the government. If the government wants to hand out money there are plenty of poor and elderly who can't afford the medical -- let alone the major medical policy. That would be a whole lot less expensive than the plans currently under discussion.

Positive or negative depending on view.... The insurance lobbyists would be all over this proposal spinning how bad it would be. Why is it bad for insurance companies. The premiums for major medical would be much less than all the "laundered" money that goes through their hands from purchaser (employers or single purchaser) to medical provider. With reduced income the insurance company execs will get smaller bonuses and the share holder profits would be less.

Positive....Employers give all their employees a small raise once they no longer have to pay the insurance companies for employee health plans. The employee is now responsible for his health and purchase of a major medical policy.

Positive....Once there are no employer health insurance plans, everyone will pay the same rate for a medical service. Today there are contracts between insurers (including Medicare) and the medical provider about the cost of each medical service. A recipient of care without medical insurance pays the highest rate to the medical provider. There is no discount for that joker who isn't employed with a company providing health insurance.

Positive.... My approach would go from cradle to grave. The end of Medicare. The amount that is currently taken out of my social security could be used to purchase a major medical policy.

Positive.... The employer would no longer shop for the cheapest provider of health insurance. Instead of the benefit of health insurance, they could pay for a major medical policy. It would be a lot easier and less costly to administer.

Negative.... There may be no way to ensure that people will buy a major medical policy. However, that is no different than the requirement for auto insurance. There are some who do not have the auto insurance, but yet they drive.

Granted, my personal health is excellent and have had few reasons to visit the medical providers. Perhaps that affects my approach and my proposal, but I DO believe in personal responsibility. Watching what I eat and moderate amounts of exercise are my approach to avoiding visits to the medical providers.

The current health reform proposals being considered are receiving lots of media (print and air wave) attention. Most of it negative. How about a real alternative to that public (government) plan and give health responsibility back to the people.

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There doesn't seem to be any support for my proposal, but in the meantime check out Consumer Reports Health Reform Guide.

With all the spin that comes from all sides on the debate, Fact Check does a great job in sorting through all those negative one liners.