If I were appointed benevolent dictator for a month & could implement legislation for that time ...Thank you
I would repeal Obamacare, and get the Supreme Court to acknowledge that the ONLY authority that the Federal government has to regulate health care are those enumerated in the Constitution. For example, regulating interstate trade; if a health insurance company sells insurance in more than one state, the Federal government does have authority to regulate their commerce. However, the Federal government does not have the Constitutional authority to force citizens to purchase health insurance or health care.
I would not 'replace' the ACA with anything, but I would enact insurance regulations that would provide disincentives for overcharging on healthcare. Essentially, I would have it treated in much the same way that homeowners insurance, auto insurance, title insurance, etc function. Insurance is there to cover unexpected losses, not to handle routine maintenance. Would you expect your auto insurance to pay a claim for getting your oil changed, or your tires replaced? Would you file a claim with your homeowners insurance to replace your old refrigerator? Of course not. But with healthcare, people expect to have every doctors office visit and every prescription paid for.
If insurance were not inflating the prices that doctors, hospitals and pharmacies charge, the typical consumer (whether US citizen, civilian, resident, illegal, etc) could afford most normal necessary healthcare. Just for kicks, call your family doctor's office and ask what they would charge you for services if you were going to pay cash and not involve insurance.
Short answer is that I would reform health insurance to only provide coverage for big ticket events (like being hospitalized with cancer, or from a car wreck). Prices for healthcare would drop to the levels that insurance really reimburses doctors anyways. Originally Posted by dark3419
