In order to encourage patient responsibility and private funding, and to reduce the cost of health care, I present this plan:

1. Eliminate:
   Health Maintenance Organizations per the HMO Act of 1973;
   And Other Forms of Health Insurance Companies;
2. Establish:
   Individual Tax-Free Health Savings Accounts (HSA);
   The Bank or Credit Union were the HSA exists is determined
   by the Individual;
3. Required to be Funded By:
   A Percent of the Income of the Individual;
   Matched by the Employer when there are more than 25 employees;
   And Bearing Interest at the Individual’s Bank;
4. Authorized to Spend On for the Individual or Family Member:
   Any Procedure Done or Requested by a Medical Doctor;
   Any Procedure Done or Requested by a Nurse Practitioner;
   Any Medical Prescriptions bought at a Licensed Pharmacy;
5. If the Individual has Insufficient Funds and is Employed:
   A Non-Interest-Bearing Payment Plan is Established,
   Such that the Payment is Less Than the Annual Contribution;
6. If the Individual has Insufficient Funds and is Unemployed:
   A Reasonable Amount is Paid from what Funds are Available;
   Once Individual is Reemployed, then:
   A Non-Interest-Bearing Payment Plan is Established,
   Such that the Payment is Less Than the Annual Contribution;
7. Should an Individual’s HSA exceed $10,000:
   The Individual may Donate said Monies to Medical Research;
   Or the Individual may Donate said Monies to any Individual
   with Insufficient Funds;
   Such that the Donating Individual’s HSA Balance does not
   end up Less Than $5,000.

So how does my health care plan work? First off, it puts the power to make health care decisions to those who use it: the individual or the consumer, and those who work directly with the consumer, that is the doctors and pharmacists. There is no one to deny any claims.

By eliminating health insurance companies, health care premiums are eliminated. Since companies no longer have to pay the health care companies, they can match the employee’s HSA contribution. This contribution would be similar to retirement plans such as 401(k). Banks already pay interest on existing HSAs, so there would be no change there.

Section 5 and 6 put in place plans in the event that someone doesn’t have enough money in their HSA to pay. Hospitals today do offer payment plans for any service rendered. An individual is still ahead if they are making payments less than their contribution. The payments could be set up to be automatic, and they could even be set up to stop or change should the individual’s income status change (i.e. lost job).

The HSA transcends jobs, therefore the money is the individuals between jobs as well. Any new job would use the same HSA. It would be the patient’s decision what bank or credit union to use, helping eliminating account fees and increasing interest rates by ushering in competition.

Per section 7, anyone with a lot of money in their HSA could donate it to medical research, such as AIDS research or breast cancer research. It can also be given to someone whose current HSA is not large enough to pay for a procedure, even though there are previsions for payment plans. There would be no benefit in anyone hoarding money in an HSA.

Until Next Time

Joe