Have you even heard of a Company that offers auto insurance for all its employees?  I haven’t, so my guess is neither have you.  Each person with a car buys their own car insurance.  They find insurers from Maine to California, North Dakota to Texas.  I reside in Florida most of the time and my insurer is in Texas.  It works.  I can, if not happy, negotiate with others for better rates or coverage.  Even the Progressive lady on TV has a program to insure  just about anything that moves.  States require everyone that has a vehicle to be covered.  Limitations exist, but there is a minimum required package.  Well why not something similar for Health Care.

Let’s think about reforming Health Care Insurance coverage along the lines of auto insurance.  Let insurers compete across State lines, offer a variety of coverage, packages to suit the needs of individuals and families.   The Government requirements can be part of the Plan by way of requiring 1.) no restrictions for pre-existing conditions (and if all are covered, pre-existing may not be a problem – the amount of the coverage or deductible may be – example, attempting to change insurers and obtain more coverage, less deductibles, once a condition is discovered), 2.) everyone must have coverage – at least at the catastrophic level,  3.) medical/surgical practices must follow guidelines requiring the most successful, determined by a body of history and experience, procedure should be used.  That is the most cost efficient (not necessarily the cheapest) procedure with the history of greatest recovery and effectiveness to be provided each patient according to their needs. 4.) Tort Reform imposed – via panels of medical practitioners and judges, and with court costs, legal costs of the prevailing party paid by the other, regardless of the form of settlement (such as arbitration or out-of-court).  The party that sues pays if they lose.  5.) government subsidies or tax credits for those that can least afford to pay – or vouchers for insurance, enabling the individual to then choose from a menu of options and insurers.  6.) Allow health insurance premium payments, up to a point,  be deductible for income tax purposes.

In all of this, allow the free markets to handle all insurance.  Just as there is no government insurer for autos, let there be no government insurer for health care. 

Get businesses out of the business of providing health insurance for their workers.  Let the workers decide for themselves. 

Mr. President and all members of Congress – here is an alternative Plan.