ForJohn.Org

Improving Health Care Pt. 2

2009-11-24T10:13:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I talked about tort reform. Today I am going to touch on what pretty much every medical professional is in agreement on, preventative care. We as Americans hate, I mean absolutely hate going to the doctor. We have to stop that attitude folks. By visiting our family doctors on a regular basis we are going to catch things earlier, improve our overall health, experience fewer long term illnesses, and live longer. But why is this important to improving our health care system? This is real simple; if we are healthier eventually insurance companies can lower their premiums due to reduced pay outs.

Wide spread preventative care will help to reduce health insurance premiums over time. In the immediate here and now it will reduce trips to the emergency room and/or urgent care clinics. These facilities are expensive, and were not designed to be your primary care doctor. They run up the overall cost of health care for everyone when they are used in this fashion. We have to motivate people to go to their family doctors.

By allowing individuals to deduct either a copayment or the full cost of an office visit to their primary care doctor we can entice them to visit more frequently. This can also apply to visits to your dentist and eye doctors for preventative check ups and preventative procedures. I think the last two pieces are just as important as visiting your family doctor. Many health issues can be caught early by dentists, ophthalmologist, and optometrists. People should be rewarded for being proactive in their health. People should not be taxed more, only to have to wait months to get an appointment with a family doctor.

Catch Me On YouTube

2009-11-24T09:20:00.000-05:00

I spent a big chunk of yesterday recording some video and getting it posted up to YouTube. You can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/user/forjohndotorg . I talk about the health care bill, the economy, and a range of other issues. I'm hoping to really accompany this blog with a video blog of sorts as well. Here is one video from yesterday's postings.

Improving Health Care Pt. 1

2009-11-23T09:54:00.000-05:00

The current liberal agenda concerning health care is based on the premise that the current system is broken, dysfunctional, and on the verge of collapse. I don’t buy it! What we have is a system, that like anything else in the world, can be improved. Let’s not confuse the two. We have to realize that not everyone can afford health insurance. But at the same time not everyone wants health insurance. So how do we help out the people who want health insurance, but can’t afford it? We have to reduce the cost. We do not have to create another entitlement program to provide it for them.

I know this has been beaten into the ground, but we need tort reform. For the sake of making sure everyone knows what I’m talking about here let me answer the question some of you may have. What is a tort? Meriam Webster’s defines it as: A wrongful act other than a breach of contract for which relief may be obtained in the form of damages or an injunction. A tort is simply a civil lawsuit. A doctor makes a mistake resulting in discomfort, injury, or even death you or your family can sue them. That’s fine, but the problem is there are no limits on how much can be awarded. So doctors have to take out an insurance policy to protect them personally in case they make a mistake. Those policies can cost them millions of dollars annually. Yes, millions depending on the size of their practice.

Did you know that if a government doctor, think VA hospital, makes a mistake that their liability IS capped by federal law? So why not private doctors? The only answer I can really come up with is that most politicians are lawyers who make money from such lawsuits. Folks the truth is our doctors are people. They make mistakes even though they try their absolute best. Let’s not forget that we are partly responsible for our own health care. If you are going in to surgery and no one has marked where the surgery is to be at on your body you should be saying something. Be an informed consumer. We are customers remember? I recently had to have my gallbladder removed. Once I was in the OR, and before they knocked me out I quizzed the OR staff. I asked the following questions: Hi, what procedure am I having done? They answered: You are having your gallbladder removed. Me: How? It will be a lathroscopic procedure. Me: What medication am I allergic too? The head nurse: You’ve indicated you are not allergic to anything, but your father is allergic to iodine. Me to the nurse anthesthetist: What should my heart rate be? Her: I have no idea what she said, and I wouldn’t have known the answer anyways! The point is don’t be scared to ask questions and demand answers.

So if we take responsibility, and understand our doctors are human why would we want to sue them for four million dollars if they amputate the wrong finger? I know that is bad, but is your pinky worth four million dollars? Maybe if you are a hand model. There has to be caps for things. Obviously a mistake resulting in death or life altering disabilities would be a higher cap then losing a finger. Really our doctors have our best interests at heart, and try their best. Cut them some slack.

Tort reform will reduce expenses for doctors which in turn results in reduced pass through costs, and lower fees being charged to consumers. Folks this is the free market at its best!

More to come on how to improve health care, and I’m not saying fix anymore because I do not accept the premise that it is broken.

Why Say No To The Bill

2009-11-21T13:42:00.001-05:00

So why is the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act Bad? I mean the title is good right? It makes you think we should be doing this; after all who doesn’t want protection and affordable health care?

Oh tricky thing our language, you can make it say anything you want in any manor you want. So let’s just talk about words for a minute. In the 2,074 page proposed bill (and note by the time it has amendments it will be much longer) the following words are used:

Shall – 3,607 times

Tax – 511 times

Must – 45 times

Payment – 1,243 times

Penalty – 115 times

You can read it here: http://democrats.senate.gov/reform/patient-protection-affordable-care-act.pdf

If that is not a lot of government mandate then I don’t know what is. Here is what we know just at a glance. Taxes will go up to various degrees for various individuals and businesses. Want your teeth whitened? Pay an additional 5% tax, thank you, have a nice day. Medicare tax will go up, while Medicare funding is being cut. Where’s the logic there? Medical device manufactures will have to pay more taxes. Nice, need a pace maker? You guessed it, tax it! Remember manufacturers don’t pay taxes; they pass the cost through to consumers. So saying you are taxing a company or manufacturer is really just taxing consumers through the back door. I don’t know about you, but I keep my back door locked.

The really, really scary thing for me is this: For the first time in our country’s history it will now cost you money to just be a citizen! Everyone will be required to have health insurance, either through your employer or Uncle Sam. Stop and think about it. As soon as your child is born it has an obligation (remember shall, must, payment, and penalty) to give the United States Government money.

Thanks but no thanks!

There are ways to improve health care in this country that don’t take away our freedom and liberty; more to come on that soon.

Get The Word Out

2009-11-21T12:29:00.001-05:00

Over the next few days I will be posting on some specific viewpoints I have. I think that most of you will agree with the common sense approach to politics I have. But the main thrust of this blog over the next few weeks is to try and organize a rally against the proposed health care bill. I have spoken to numerous medical professionals and ALL OF THEM agree this will be very bad for the U.S., our health, and their businesses. I am hoping to find some doctors who are willing to stand with me and speak out against this bill. Understandably this is risky for them, but I firmly believe this is one of the greatest threats to our individual freedoms that we have ever seen.

I’m just a regular guy, and I have never organized anything like this before. I need your help! I need volunteers, Donations of need items at least for temporary use, and WE HAVE TO GET THE WORD OUT!

As of right now here is what I need:

A location. The Tea Party in Greensboro downtown went well. I’m leaning towards doing it there, but I am open to suggestions.

2) We will need a stage! Are budget is 0 right now. Anyone who knows a business willing to support our cause that can foot the bill to rent one (or better yet they have one) please speak up now!

3) I need legs. I need everyone who reads this to get the word out. Find supporters; we need a HUGE turn out.

OK, that is it for now. I’ll have more stay tuned!