Republican Study Committee
In response to the democratic HR 3200 the Republican Study Committee, chaired by Rep. Tom Price, an M.D. from the state of Georgia and the sponsor of the republican alternative HR 3400, put together a summary of their bill called "Empowering Patients First Act." Below are a few comments from that summary and the SCHCR response.
"Expands the individual market - Creates pooling mechanisms, such as association health plans and individual membership accounts. Individuals are also allowed to shop for health insurance across state lines." Translation: Large and small insurance companies are going to voluntarily come together and create pools that do not currently exist for the purpose of making individual health insurance cheaper so more people can afford it. If coverage in your state is too expensive, then buy it in a state that offers it for less. Maybe you will even be able to order coverage on-line and pay shipping and handling to have all your care delivered by UPS right to your front door. This is so simple we are really at odds wandering why someone hasn't already figured this out. FACT: The only way that insurance companies will come together and offer pooled products is if they are required to do so by the state and federal government. If that occurs it will come with bureaucracies, red tape and lots of regulations. All of that will cost a lot of money. The other alternative is to let the government form those pools. Opps, that would be a "public plan." The reason that insurance is cheaper in another state is due to lower healthcare costs, not that those insurance companies have less profit built in. If coverage can be purchased across state lines eventually the level of cost will stabilize, likely at a higher cost for all. This point emphasizes that neither Democrats or republicans understand healthcare cost. While there are some good suggestions in this republican bill (click here for summary) there are also some good suggestions in the democratic version. Does that mean that America should pressure congress to pass a huge encompassing bill? No. It means that these are good ideas and that they should be acted upon intelligently and with common sense ONE at a time.