Healthcare reform

If you are truly interested in positive health care reform which will save money, tell you congressmen you want the following.

• Tort reform. Doctors pay 30 billion dollars a year for mal-practice insurance. Many of the test they order are in self defense to avoid a mis diagnosis or un-diagnosis.
• Allow citizens to purchase insurance across state lines as congress does. This will foster competition between the approximately 1,300 insurance agencies nationwide. The government claims they want the public option to encourage competition (there are already over one thousand competitors).
• Keep the government out. They are largely responsible for the increase via Medicare, Medicaid and Chips.
• Encourage health savings accounts.
• Allow portability where individuals can purchase insurance in the same manner as large corporations.

Socialist and the hopelessly ignorant that continue to insist on socialized medicine can be aided in the following manner. Taxpayers will pick up the tab for transportation and a couple nights lodging to the socialist paradise of their choice. Canada, Great Britain or Cuba.

There are numerous other adjustments that could be made to lower the cost. Don't ask the federal government to take total control of your life and freedoms.

A. C. Smithson