This election, no matter how you view the results, has started a national dialog about healthcare. Healthcare is going to be discussed if President Elect Trump has his way. If there is to be a national discussion, what principles do you wish it to be based on? Please keep this discussion non political (if that is possible). Discussion that come from the heart, not political rhetoric, is what is meaningful here.
Since this is my post I will get the ball rolling.
Healthcare should be universal, in saying that I mean that healthcare is a basic human right. I do not mean that government needs to be the direct payer of healthcare and I’m not saying it shouldn’t be but everyone one should be able to afford it.
Healthcare should cost the same for everyone no matter how its paid for. No one should be charged more or less just because they are on a different payment plan.
The government should stay the hell out of the exam room. Treatment decisions should be a product of sound medical principles not the decisions of bureaucrats. There is a well established system to educate and insure the competency of our medical professionals. If that system is inadequate improve the system.
Free market principles should be the mechanism that keeps cost in check. Forced cost savings have a tendency to stymie innovation. Forced savings tend to breed corruption. Whether we like it or not this is a free market country, let’s use that to our advantage.
Regulate as little as possible. Regulation only breeds bureaucracy. The are very few things that a bureaucrat can’t over complicate.
This one is bound to be controversial. Level the playing field when is comes to drug pricing. All developed nations should pay the cost of drug development. Other nations should not enjoy an advantage in cost nor should we.
I realize that not all are going to agree and that I have only scratched the surface.
The floor is open for discussion. Please keep it civil and on topic. Remember this is a discussion about principle, not approach. How it is accomplished is a different subject all together.