Why Obamacare Has Failed, and How To Fix It

Fail

• millions have had their chosen health insurance canceled
• all health insurance policies must cover many benefits that are not needed
• you get premium subsidies only in states that have dramatically expanded state Medicaid programs (about half of all states)
• plans with affordable premiums have deductibles that are often not affordable
• those who cannot afford or do not need health insurance are still required to buy it
• you cannot choose your own doctor
• extremely limited provider networks
• those with terminal cancer cannot choose plans that cover needed oncology care or expensive cancer drugs
• for those who are uninsured because they cannot afford health insurance, it is still unaffordable
• patients are not free to choose an individual policy that meets their specific needs

Fix Me

Well, it cannot be fixed.

• the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is repealed lock, stock, and barrel
• a piece of standalone legislation that requires insurance companies to permit children up to 26 year-olds to remain on their parents' health insurance
• a brief bill categorically prohibits the ability of the Federal Government to require anyone to buy health insurance
• a Federal high-risk heath insurance program (similar to, say, Federal Flood Insurance) is created: the policies will be tailored to the needs of patients with significant health problems, and one must have been rejected for health insurance 3 times (due to preexisting conditions) to be eligible
• people may buy health insurance from other states: the Individual Policy Mandate of the state where policy is issued shall stand, not that of the state where the applicant lives
• lower income federal tax filers shall be entitled to a fully refundable tax credit for all premiums, co-pays, deductibles, and prescription drugs paid: the enabling legislation shall direct insurance companies to send to each person this total amount at the end of the year, that may be directly transferred to the 1040 tax form
• companies selling health insurance shall be encouraged to sell policies that meet the needs of the applicant
• the deductibility of health insurance premiums provided by employers to employees is not changed
• the existence of community healthcare clinics and retail mini-clinics staffed by RNs and NPs under local health regulations shall be encouraged, and Federal taxes and regulations shall be changed to catalyze their existence
• a standalone bill encouraging physician-owned hospitals and provider networks: Federal regs shall be changed to catalyze same
• nation-wide drugstore chains shall be encouraged to provide routine medical care to their community: Federal rules and regulations shall be altered to encourage and catalyze same