True Choices

Our friends on the left have long claimed to be "pro-choice". However when you look at the record, they are only "pro" the choice to abort an unborn baby. When it comes to choices in other areas though, they ideas seem to be choiceless.

Case in point is the health care "crisis". The answer, according to all of the Democratic Presidential Contenders, to the health care crisis is similar forms of single payer/government run health care. Even in Minnesota our DFL legislators are all responding by proposing a HHS takeover of all Minnesotans medical care. Well today, the House Republican Caucus announced a real choice in the health care "crisis".

2008 HEALTH CARE REFORM INITIATIVES
FREEDOM AND CHOICE
It is a matter of personal responsibility to control your own health care.
Patients should be allowed to choose their health plan and doctor, and have a say in their care.
No mandate requiring everyone to have insurance.
Allow nationwide purchasing of any approved health care plan. This will promote nationwide competition, innovative plans, and lessened costs.
Provide individual tax credits/deductions to promote non-employer coverage, on a sliding scale.
Promote and expand information on cost of services and quality of care available to consumers.
PRIVACY AND SECURITY
Require patient consent to disseminate medical records.
Create a medical data bank in the consumer's wallet with e-health care cards with medical information. No hackers, no prying eyes on private information.
Portability is increased with individual insurance policies so consumers won't lose insurance if they lose their jobs.
Promote and enhance ongoing market-based reforms including evidence-based and value oriented medical information.
Create a tort court to assure quality of care, minimize defensive medicine, provide fair compensation to injured parties, standardize patient expectations and provider practices, and preserve statewide access to emergency room and obstetric services.
NO GOVERNMENT TAKE OVER OF HEALTH CARE
No government-directed rationing and no "Big Brother" decisions.
No months-long waiting lines like in Canada and Europe.
Maintain a safety net for those in need. Promote greater results in state programs, which will spill over into the private sector.
Make it easier for personal purchase of insurance where possible. Optional section 125 plans should be made easily available through agents, brokers and a voluntary
Insurance Exchange.
Shift state plan enrollees where possible to private plans via health care vouchers and/or tax credits.
FUNDING MECHANISMS
Reduce growth rate in Health and Human Services to the rate of inflation for one biennium. The Department functions are so vast that no one person can know all the overlaps and duplicated services that exist.
Create a statewide process to prioritize Human Services funding to address essential and important needs.
Use that source to fund tax credits, tax deductions, repeal of health taxes, including the Provider Tax, and other pressing needs, like the gap created by the Federal rule changes on targeted case management.
Increased consumer responsibility and engagement creates increased market pressure on prices and quality and reduces costs and increases quality, increasing affordability.
Follow the law: no increased state funding for illegal immigrants.

Choice - that's what it is all about...the choice to find the health plan that fits you and your needs. Your choice of plan, doctor and anything else you need without government interference or (most importantly) some bureaucrat telling you and your doctor what services he/she will provide to you and when.

If you want to know why choice is prefereable, you can read my previous posts on the subject.