Heatlhcare Legislation

Here is my proposal for healthcare legislation:

1) Ensure that insurance companies do not drop coverage for people because of severe and costly illnesses.

2) Provide subsidies to the poor so they can purchase private insurance.

3) Eliminate the ability of states to regulate health insurance.

4) Create a government subsidy program for individuals with pre-existing conditions so that they can purchase private insurance.

5) Provide tax deductions to consumers for insurance they purchase.

6) Tax employees for employer paid insurance.

7) Require that insurance policies include a savings account, which is refunded to the insured or rolled over each year if not used during the year.

8) Require that insurance polices only cover expenses beyond the amount of the savings account described above.

9) Require all providers of medical and healthcare services to publish their fees and provide that information to consumers before any work is done (except in the case of emergencies, of course).

10) Require doctors to provide three options when giving referrals and also provide the fee schedules for the referred providers. Also, require that doctors provide a price schedule for relelvant medications when determining prescriptions.

11) Require everyone to have insurance, but allow insurance companies to charge lower rates for younger people.

12) Enact significant tort reform.

13) Require that Medicare negotiate prices with drug companies.