Is Health Care Plan Dead?

Will current health care legislation die a gruesome agonizing death or will a bastardized version of the Senate bill finally be pushed through appropriations by some congressional chicanery later this year?

I would be happy to see the current monstrosity scrapped entirely and some real change explored that would help Americans rather than push some Progressive agenda that would eventually bankrupt this nation.

There are some good ideas out there - see Five Health Care Reform Solutions That Make Sense.

Summary (for my benefit)

1. Sell Insurance Across State Lines - stimulates economy without spending a dime of federal money
2. Let individuals purchase health insurance with pre-tax dollars - businesses do this already (no federal money needed)
3. Encourage Health Care Savings Accounts (HSAs) - would encourage younger/healthier Americans to buy insurance (no federal money needed)
4. Tort reform - end abusive medical litigation (no federal money needed)
5. Cover the uninsured - system of tax credits can help the uninsured purchase coverage (will cost about $80 billion a year, but a boat load of money cheaper than current congressional bills and would not require cutting Medicare for seniors and disabled).

I would add one more -

1. Allow single adults to remain covered under their parents policies until age 25. This could be paid by the insured individual and would be significantly lower in cost than buying an individual policy.

To rethink health care reform we must:

- Scrap the current legislation.
- Enact the five (6) reforms listed above.
- Pass each reform separately, one bill every four months.
- Limit each bill to 50 pages.
- Let each bill pass or fail on its own merits—no pork, no pay-offs.
- Make final language available to the public for at least 7 days prior to voting.