The health care system in the United States is one of the most complex health care systems in the world, and the most expensive one per capita. Is there a solution to lower the price, yet still provide healthcare to the masses?

From the left

The progressives in the United States are looking for universal healthcare in order to provide basic healthcare to not only those that can afford it, but also to those disenfranchised like the elderly or poor. To them it’s a basic human right to be able to have access to healthcare when needed. In order to pay for the enormous annual price tag ($3.5+ trillion/year) it has been suggested in many liberal circles that a combination of corporate taxes, and individual taxes for those making more than the median wage, are to pay for this program.

From the right

The conservatives in the United States however see healthcare as an individual responsibility. Even deeper than that, to many it shouldn’t even be managed at the federal level, but left at State level, albeit at a minimum level as they would rather see free enterprise manage it v. the U.S. or State government. The staunchest libertarians even suggest that those that cannot afford insurance/health care can always rely on charity, but in the end they feel that those of adult age should be responsible enough to work hard enough in order to afford it.

From the center

Maas Media feels that a compromise can be reached wherein free enterprise is given the reins to manage healthcare, albeit with stringent rules. It would cover everyone, yet keep the costs down and it gives both sides a lot of what they’re after. Here’s how that would work:

1. Everyone pays into the healthcare pot. Insurance only works if the collective community pays into the fund. If only a small group pays into it there wouldn’t be enough funds to cover the basics. Don’t forget, U.S. law mandates that hospitals provide care, even to those that can’t afford it and have no means of ever paying them.
2. Rates are disclosed upfront to patients, which allows them to shop around
3. Insurance sold across States, which goes back to opening up the markets to add more competition
4. Liability caps for healthcare providers is needed in order to stem the flow of unnecessary lawsuits and the outrageous insurance premiums that come along with it. An independent counsel should ensure that ‘bad apples’ are removed from the system however
5. Open borders to drugs in order to drive competition and thus lower the cost of prescription drugs. A more streamlined system needs to be put in place to allow foreign drug makers to sell their drugs, but still ensure the safety of it
6. Government negotiated pricing for drugs is needed for those insurance programs that cover the poor and elderly (Medicaid and Medicare). It’s insane that we don’t do that in this country, which in turn should set the ceiling limit of what a drug company can charge in the U.S.
7. Preventive care and focus on healthy lifestyles are a must in order to drive down expensive care for preventable diseases (heart, lung, etc.). Tax those that don’t adhere to a healthy lifestyle as in the end they end up costing the community pool of funds the most. To appease the conservatives you can provide a tax discount to those that are adhering to a healthy lifestyle v. a non-discount to the smokers, etc.
8. Automation is a must. All healthcare providers, insurance companies, and government should be on the same cloud based IT system. All appointments, payments, etc. should be done via an app. No more paperwork thanks to the cloud, etc.