Health Care Reform Act - Ron Paul

GreenSky

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Introducing the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act
Ron Paul Speech to Congress
August 2, 2007​

Madam Speaker, America faces a crisis in health care. Health care costs continue to rise, leaving many Americans unable to afford health insurance, while those with health care coverage, and their physicians, struggle under the control of managed-care "gatekeepers.'' Obviously, fundamental health care reform should be one of Congress' top priorities.

Unfortunately, most health care "reform'' proposals either make marginal changes or exacerbate the problem. This is because they fail to address the root of the problem with health care, which is that government polices encourage excessive reliance on third-party payers. The excessive reliance on third-party payers removes all incentive from individual patients to concern themselves with health care costs. Laws and policies promoting Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) resulted from a desperate attempt to control spiraling costs. However, instead of promoting an efficient health care system, HMOs further took control over health care away from the individual patient and physician.

Furthermore, the predominance of third-party payers means there is effectively no market for individual health insurance polices, thus those whose employers cannot offer them health benefits must either pay exorbitant fees for health insurance or do without health insurance. Since most health care providers cater to those with health insurance, it is very difficult for the uninsured to find health care that meets their needs at an affordable price. The result is many of the uninsured turn to government-funded health care systems, or use their local emergency room as their primary care physician. The result of this is declining health for the uninsured and increased burden on taxpayer-financed health care system.

Returning control over health care to the individual is the key to true health care reform. The Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act puts control of health care back into the hands of the individual through tax credits, tax deductions, Health Care Savings Accounts (HSA), and Flexible Savings Accounts. By giving individuals tax incentives to purchase their own health care, the Comprehensive Health Care Act will help more Americans obtain quality health insurance and health care. Specifically, the Comprehensive Health Care Act:

A. Provides all Americans with a tax credit for 100 percent of health care expenses. The tax credit is fully refundable against both income and payroll taxes.

B. Allows individuals to roll over unused amounts in cafeteria plans and
Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA).

C. Makes every American eligible for a Health Savings Account (HSA), removes the requirement that individuals must obtain a high-deductible insurance policy to open an HSA; allows individuals to use their HSA to make premiums payments for high-deductible policy; and allows senior citizens to use their HSA to purchase Medigap policies.

D. Repeals the 7.5 percent threshold for the deduction of medical expenses, thus making all medical expenses tax deductible.

By providing a wide range of options, this bill allows individual Americans to choose the method of financing health care that best suits their individual needs. Increasing frustration with the current health care system is leading more and more Americans to embrace this approach to health care reform. For example, a poll by the respected Zogby firm showed that over 80 percent of Americans support providing all Americans with access to a Health Savings Account. I hope all my colleagues will join this effort to put individuals back in control of health care by cosponsoring the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act.

 
No way that plan is horrible - I want the FREE plan paid 100% by the GOVERNMENT - I just bought this new IPHONE Cell phone and new 20" Rims I can't afford Health Insurance - it should be FREE or I should be able to purchase it ONLY when I need it, i.e. On my way to the hospital.

The funny part is 90% of Americans are COVERED yet they want to DESTROY our system to accommodate the 10% that are primarily transitional or just flat out personally irresponsible.

I wish Ron Paul was 50, so he would have time to grow and become a serious player down the road - unfortunately the reality is at his age time is not on his side to repeat this process in 8 or 12 years.
 
"encourage excessive reliance on third-party payers"

that's because we all know the government employee works on sunshine and doesn't need a paycheck..



This is simply where they all are screwed in the head..you still have to pay people to deliver healthcare and to process it. While they may eliminate ceo's and possibly the agent, is there enough of a savings there to justify the overhaul?

It simply costs alot of money to pay for the american lifestyle. It will still continue to cost if the government takes it over, quite probably more...
They are not addressing the root causes of cost. They never will as it will turn off voters...
 
No way that plan is horrible - I want the FREE plan paid 100% by the GOVERNMENT - I just bought this new IPHONE Cell phone and new 20" Rims I can't afford Health Insurance - it should be FREE or I should be able to purchase it ONLY when I need it, i.e. On my way to the hospital.

The funny part is 90% of Americans are COVERED yet they want to DESTROY our system to accommodate the 10% that are primarily transitional or just flat out personally irresponsible.

I wish Ron Paul was 50, so he would have time to grow and become a serious player down the road - unfortunately the reality is at his age time is not on his side to repeat this process in 8 or 12 years.

Actually, if you read this plan, it does give free health care to the rich. All health care bills would be a tax credit, meaning anything you pay, will get reimbursed by the government.

Since a lot of lower income individuals don't file tax returns, they would pay their own medical bills, while the rich get their expenses reimbursed in full.

I like the plan :) Now, i just have to become rich!!!!

Dan
 
Why on earth would we give "the rich" tax deductions for health insurance/payments/whatever? If they want the health care, they can pay for it!
 
Why on earth would we give "the rich" tax deductions for health insurance/payments/whatever? If they want the health care, they can pay for it!

Why in the world wouldn't we? As soon as you start taking from one segment to give to another, we are promoting socialism.

Let's pretend that if you earn more than $300,000 you don't get a deduction. Next year it will drop to $250,000, and so on. At some point, the definition of "rich" is one dollar less than you make.

Either we allow the govt. to intrude in our lives or we don't. You can't have it part way.

If we do things right with a VERY limited government, nobody pays much in taxes.

Rick
 
Why on earth would we give "the rich" tax deductions for health insurance/payments/whatever? If they want the health care, they can pay for it!

Deductions???? No, you misread, it's a tax credit!
Actually, the middle class will do well with this too, if they go to the doctor.

As a credit, low-income individuals can probably get it tacked on to their earned income credit. Not clear, since it mentions fully refundable, doesn't state clearly that you can get it over and above whatever you paid in (such as earned income).

The plan is pretty useless, but it's interesting, since it flies in the face of other proposals out there.

Dan
 
Well, maybe we need to back up a bit before the train leaves the station.

Beleive me, after my (big company) experience, I was surprised at how a company so large, with so much in assets (human and otherwise) could be so dumb. A $64 BILLION market cap and that's the best they can do????

So, here are some thoughts:

The health care system is effectively controlled by the AMA and the lawyers. Until the AMA releases it's absolutely stupid controls/demands on how many people can graduate from med school on an annual basis, we're just pawns in the greater scheme of things.

When asked why UC Irvine was establishing a brand new law school instead of a nursing program (which in the state of California, demographics suggest CA is already overcapacity for lawyers and will continue to be so, and yet currently understaffed for nurses, and will continue the shortgage for the next 20 years), the response was, "Well, but we need GOOD lawyers"

I get Paul's libertarian stance on things. But I don't beleive that by starving the government of taxes (via allowing rich people deductions and credits for health care) is the way we are going to reduce government. Let's face it, many of these large corporations are sucking the giant t*t of government and paying no taxes as a result.

We need serious internal reforms, not pie in the sky voter enticing crap.
 
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