ReillyT
Senior Member
This is my first thread, and I wanted to write one discussing a couple of ideas for legislation that I think might be promising. The posters on this board have various idealogical backgrounds and I think it might be good for us to be proactive and try to come up with some, without waiting for Washington to propose legislation which will be lobby-initiated anyway.
Premise: The spiraling cost of health care could be reduced if more money and effort were put into specific preventitive measures that would reduce expenditures overall by identifying medical conditions and problems before they become severe.
1. I have rarely been to a doctor for a check-up and actually have had the doctor conduct it. Nurse practioners usually do the check-up (very well in my experience) and the doctor just signs off. So...
IDEA - I would propose that the government set up health clinics in a manner so that they are accessible to all americans (every other county). The health centers would be run by a doctor supervising a staff of nurses and nurse-practitioners. The clinics would only be accessible to those seeking regular check-ups and certain pre-natal care services. Services would be provided on a sliding fee scale.
IDEA 2 - Persons who are either Medicaid or Medicare recipients would be required by law to get a check-up once per year. Medicare and Medicaid would be enlarged to cover this check-up.
IDEA 3 - For all other Americans, the costs of a yearly check-up would be deductible up to $100. The cost of prenatal care would be deductible to $250. These deductions would have a income cap, and persons with incomes exceeding $100,000 would not be eligible to take them.
Maybe there is a program like this already, in which case please let me know. Anyway, just an idea. If you like, dislike it, or would change it in some way, please let us know why and how.
Premise: The spiraling cost of health care could be reduced if more money and effort were put into specific preventitive measures that would reduce expenditures overall by identifying medical conditions and problems before they become severe.
1. I have rarely been to a doctor for a check-up and actually have had the doctor conduct it. Nurse practioners usually do the check-up (very well in my experience) and the doctor just signs off. So...
IDEA - I would propose that the government set up health clinics in a manner so that they are accessible to all americans (every other county). The health centers would be run by a doctor supervising a staff of nurses and nurse-practitioners. The clinics would only be accessible to those seeking regular check-ups and certain pre-natal care services. Services would be provided on a sliding fee scale.
IDEA 2 - Persons who are either Medicaid or Medicare recipients would be required by law to get a check-up once per year. Medicare and Medicaid would be enlarged to cover this check-up.
IDEA 3 - For all other Americans, the costs of a yearly check-up would be deductible up to $100. The cost of prenatal care would be deductible to $250. These deductions would have a income cap, and persons with incomes exceeding $100,000 would not be eligible to take them.
Maybe there is a program like this already, in which case please let me know. Anyway, just an idea. If you like, dislike it, or would change it in some way, please let us know why and how.
