Welcome to Russian Heathcare!

The Russians believe in UFO’s….the Russians believe in the American Model of the Mafia for running their businesses….the Russians believe in Socialized Medicine!

In the 1960’s, in the United States….before the age of the MRI, CAT Scans, PET Scans, Mammograms, Lip Implants, Boob Implants, Lyposuction, Exotic Metal or Kevlar knee and hip replacements, ADD, Viagra, Prosac and Xanax – Doctors had great an array of tools to guide their decisions regarding any person’s healthcare.  They had a black bag with a glass thermometer, a stethoscope, a blood pressure tester they pumped up, a hard rubber mallet, a chrome handheld light with a black cone on the front, maybe some band-aids, foreceps and asparin.  If you got a really serious infection…you got tetracycline or penicillin.  Some, even made house calls.  Most drank alot and also played golf.  Oh those days before digital.

In the old days, your primary care doctor followed procedures:  He listened to your heart and your lungs….from both the front and back.  He then took up the handheld light with the black cone on the end and looked up your nose and in your ears.  He then hit you on the knee with his rubber mallet.  He had you open your mouth and even looked carefully inside.  He then grabbed your wrist and held it with just two figures….as he looked at his watch and counted what your pulse rate was.  If it was really serious, he might take an electro-cardiograph….to check out the beat of your heart.  If you got hit on the head….you got an electro-encelphlagraph.  Your doctor mended your broken leg after a ski accident, your broken arm after a tough softball game and maybe even put a neck brace on you if you had a serious car accident.  If you had to be sent to a “specialist”…it was a very serious situation…that normally meant…you weren’t going to make it.  Even as late as 1992, if you went to a Primary Care Doctor….you might get statements like this: “You need to go to an Endocrinologist!…”I don’t know what they do!”  “That’s why I am sending you there!”

Today, Doctors hardly even look at you.  Their bedside manner consists of something like this: “So what’s wrong?”  The so-called nurse has already come in and had taken your digital temperature and digital blood pressure.  The doctor then reaches into his prescription drug bag of tricks and sends you on your way.  If it is more serious, you are off to some suggested “specialist” for further review.  If you have an HMO….you have to call some Plan Administrator before you can see anyone!  You stand in line endlessly and wait to get your “Big Phrama” answer to your latest malady.  Your HMO or Health Provider monitors each and every prescription and makes sure you don’t get too many or too much medicine at one time.  You have time limits on your prescriptions and yet…..you might not be able to get your entire required amount by going to the pharmacy just one time!  You may or may not get choice on whether you want “Brand” or “Generic”.  You may or may not require a “Co-Pay”…..that price can very – a lot.  It’s so fun to belong isn’t it?  Doctor’s expect you to Google your own issue…before you come to see them!  They expect you to check out all those Homeopathic remedies first  and ask about them before – you are allowed to waste their time!

So now according to reports, 15% of the population of the United States has no Healthcare.  Those numbers vary between 40 and 50 million people.  Congressman John Conyers is pushing the Administration model of a Single Payer Healthcare…..which will require that all companies and corporations in the United States…..stop providing their employees with hard fought programs of individualized healthcare….and in fact according the Secretary Sebilius…..creating a plan to reduce available healthcare by 3 to 5% over the next ten years!  That’s right “reduce available healthcare”….to keep the cost down.  This will guarantee “rationing” for all…..not just the 40 to 50 million that are currently uninsured.  These guys need to see 14 people an hour to make their BMW, Time-Share and Boat payments.  Get in and get out!  But this is all now….before National One Payer Healthcare……just wait until that happens!

We oppose throwing the baby out with the bath water and ceasing Corporate, Company or Government provided Healthcare programs!  We propose a new Tiered Healthcare for the Uninsured.   It should start something like this:  All those under 32 years of age should be able to sign up for Basic Government Healthcare.  This would include payments to all Urgent Care and for some Emergency Facilities throughout the United States.  This program should be phased in first….because all children would be included in the coverage.  Funding Government Approved Private Healthcare Facilities would be a part of this program.  This would be a “Baseline System” and not include the more exotic testing without sign off by a qualifying physician.  This would be a electronic approved or denied system which could be appealed when denial was suggested.  The Denial Mode would immediately trigger a “Appeal to a higher source!”

The aged and seniors are the next part of this Tiered System.  Anyone over 62 without Private Healthcare should qualify for the Medicare programs already in place.  If we are going to raise the age of retirement to receive Social Security….we should at least lower that elegibility for Heathcare.  That then leaves those with Heathcare that are between the ages of 32 and 62!  This group being at Higher Risk for physcial problems should be required to pay higher premiums per market required rates.  The Government could then offer to pay 50% or those premiums which would be transferable and portable from State to State and always in force.  A 100% tax write-off should be provided for those in this group that pay their entire required Health Premiums.  This would only apply to those who opt for the Government program!  There would be no change for those in their working years that are offered Corporate, Private, Company or Goverment provided Healthcare for their workers!

This leaves those that already have Healthcare.  This Healthcare is being paid for either by the insured and the company, the company, government or all of those above.  Taxing these benefits is entirely wrong!  Companies would have no incentive to assist in the negotiation or seeking the best market rates if these benefits are taxed….taxing the employee, who will then want more wages to off set that cost, or for the company to pay taxes which would then raise the cost of the goods or services provided consumers.

Rational argument, should encourage lawmakers to of course, electronically require all those insured to have a off site medical card…which can be accessed only with the approval of the patient involved.  This data base must not be available to the general public and very secure.  This data base should never be accessed by Insurance Companies, Corporations or Governments for any purpose other than providing Healthcare.  “Pre-Existing Conditions” should all be thrown out for all systems in the long run.   Should there be limitations on the costs of provided “prescription drugs”?  That answer is first and foremost……Absolutely.  Each Drug Provided should be required to provide the retail cost of that drug…anywhere in the world.  If they want to “give away” those drugs to needy countries or regions of the world requiring them…….that should include only a tax write-off for such actions.  Fair market price for these “Prescription Drugs” needs to be a major requirement for the FDA enforcement branch.

In the final analysis, we need more healthcare providers…not less.  We need to place people into various segments for their Healthcare needs.  As bad as age is…in determining general requirements…..it is only following what the Insurance Actuaries have done for years.  Those issues should be an open book to all.  Correcting our problems with healthcare is possible….but it may first begin by closing every Health Maintenance Organization and then creating Health Care Organizations in their place!