Health care is traditionally one of the most emotionally charged issues Congress has to deal with because it – either directly or indirectly – affects every American. With more and more Americans being classified as uninsured or underinsured we are once again hearing the refrain that it is the responsibility of the federal government to make sure that all Americans have health care coverage. I believe that the American people deserve affordable, accessible, high-quality healthcare. And providing all eligible individuals residing in the United States with free health care; including all medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services is a very noble and compassionate goal; but achieving that goal through creation of a government-run health care system has already been soundly rejected by the American people and the United States Congress.
Many people fear, and I believe rightly, that a government-run health care system will take away their freedom of choice in medical care, force them to pay huge new "health-care" taxes (such as the increases in personal income, payroll and self-employment taxes included in many Democrat national healthcare proposals), and eliminate medical and personal privacy. Americans do not want government attorneys and government bureaucrats - who are not medically trained - controlling what treatments and tests their doctor will be allowed to give them.
However, whether we extend health care coverage through private sector initiatives or through government programs we are simply delaying the inevitable unless we tackle the true problem which is the skyrocketing cost of health care in this country. I believe we can make a serious dent in health care costs if we focus on three initiatives; ending the medical liability crisis through reasonable limits on non-economic and punitive damages; reducing overhead through updated medical billing codes and greater use of digital health care records; and, lowering prescription drug costs through an international market regime (sometimes called reimportation) – with appropriate safeguards to ensure the pedigree of the drugs from manufacturer to consumer.
In the interim, tax breaks – such as credits or deductions for health insurance premiums - and savings initiatives like Medical Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts can help more Americans purchase health insurance and take control of their health care dollars.