http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...AR2009080602933.html?hpid=opinionsbox1&sub=AR Krauthammer actually is an MD, although he's made most of his impact in the area of politics. In my mind he hits on the two biggest issues. Tort reform has already occurred in Texas (a max $250K in punitive damages) and more doctors have moved there and opened practices than any other state in the Union. Coincidence? Not bloody likely. As for connecting employment and health insurance, it doesn't make a damn bit of sense. Imagine if you could deduct your health insurance premiums yourself. Imagine if you could form groups based on behavior--marathon runners, non-smokers, non-drinkers, etc.--instead of where you work. Imagine if you could buy insurance from ANY source rather than the menu offered by your employer. Imagine if you could quit your job and not worry about how long you had on COBRA. One more item Krauthammer didn't mention but I'd like to see is the death of state insurance boards. These boards don't allow you to purchase insurance across state lines. They also dictate the level of insurance you have. There is a huge problem of young people not buying health insurance because there's no option for catastropic care, which is what most young people care about. Limiting by state also limits competition, driving up prices and discouraging entry by potential competitors.
My idea of tort reform is that if you sue someone and lose, you have to pay their court costs. You can't give a corporation the death penalty or throw one in jail. You can have a severe penalty in the form of punitive damages that's as effective.
It's hard to think you'd ever agree with anyone who's politically to the right of Mao. OK, OK, jez kidding.
The problem I have with his idea is thinking people would actually go buy their own insurance- unless it was mandatory. Sadly, most people are too greedy for their money and if left alone to make that purchase (even for their kids) would rather have the new car, boat, RV, ATV... first. It's like telling people to rent, then invest the difference between rent and a morgtage. Great idea, but less than 1% of the people who say they will do it actually do. They want to spend that money now and on themselves. Doln't get me wrong, I'm not saying people must be forced to buy health insurance, but one of the reasons it's offered thru work is so people will have it who probably otherwise wouldn't. I'd rather see a system whereby have great freedom to purchase their own personal health insurance thru work with pre-tax dollars, but have more availability to the open market- like with a lot of 401k's.
People get it through work because the companies can write it off and individuals can't. It's a form of compensation, like getting a paycheck. Companies that offer better insurance might get better employees.
And the greedy would simply clog the ERs when they get injured again catastrophically raising the rates for the rest of us...
Another thing - this is far from an original idea by Krauthammer. Ron Wyden a *gasp* Democrat has been pushing for a single payer system for years.
First, I don't think Krauthammer was trying to be original, he was trying to be clear. Second, I'm pretty sure CK isn't pushing for a single-payer system.
