Reducing healthcare costs

[grruff]

You want to reduce the health care costs? We all do!

So how about starting with some quick and simple fixes?

For instance:

1- The drug companies spend more than double for advertising vs. research, then the taxpayers pay for a third of their research via the NIH, then the drug companies fund the FDA, creating conflicts of interest in the FDA. After all that, these companies still have the highest profit margins (15-25+%) in the country!

The fix:
a- Stop drug company advertising to customers (we're one of only two countries that do this). This would allow them to triple their research budgets overnight.
b- Take the research money that now comes from the NIH and give it to the FDA - and stop the FDA from taking money (above and under the table) from the drug companies.

2- The NIH budget is divided 90% for drug research and 10% for alternative remedies. Most (some experts say all) diseases of aging are due to improper nutrition. Drugs cannot fix this. How about split their budget 33% for drugs, 33% for alternative, and 34% for nutrition and prevention?

[Lary Lemin]

Don't forget Tort reform most docs spend most of their money for malpractice suits some of them stupid ones maybe some kinda cap on much you can sue for if the doc screws up.:D

[Debbie.Jeff]

Don't forget Tort reform most docs spend most of their money for malpractice suits some of them stupid ones maybe some kinda cap on much you can sue for if the doc screws up.:D

But that isn't the ONLY problem.

It is the LAWYERS who keeps most of the award monies than the plaintiffs do. Therefore, there need to be award cap for trial attorneys.

Even my attorney brother agrees with me!

[grruff]

But as long as the Dem's are in charge, this is not an option. Like the old song says, "To dream, the impossible dream"

[grruff]

I'll bet your brother is not an ambulance chaser like John Edwards. I'd bet he would give a different answer.

[debbiefairlady]

This idea came to me today, and i added what would be a great idea for health care. As much as our government has given out to the Banks and AIG, and the Car Manufacturers, the government could have paid every one,s medical bills. Instead of the social medicine that Obama wants to do, i wonder if this would work. 1.give a card to each person with the amount of $100.000. This card would be used for everything except the common cold, otherwise that would come out of a person pocket. Check-ups would be a great preventive}. If a person is totally disabled then a trust would be set up with the expense that he/she would have. If a person is paying for insurance then What is not used on the card is carried over the following year. The Insurance would be paying the balance it would be Secondary 2. Any illegal immigrant that wants medical treatment, including children that are not born in the United States { parents } have to have full name, Address{not a post office box},date of birth, where they were born{what country, then they have to be fingerprinted}, until they become a legal United states citizens. If the immigrant moves to another state, and tries to get another card, his/her name address,country, and date of birth ,fingerprint, and photo would be on file with the FBI. Therefore making it impossible to get another card. Before a card would be issued a picture and fingerprint would be ran through the bureau {FBI }. Legal, and illegal would have picture I.D. on the card{no difference when A doctor 's receptionist takes a picture while waiting to see the doctor. . The illegal immigrants would be given 2 years to earn their citizenship, or they will be required to pay back the money and leave the Country {even their children} As harsh as this sounds it would protect the hardworking taxpayers. As free as this country is, it was not free by no means. Freedom comes with a price, it always did. A set fee would be established for the Medical field that is within reason. Hospitals would also have a rate. { when tylenol cost as much as a whole bottle there is a problem}.Remember there was a time when a doctor, or surgeons was paid very little. Ambulance chasers become a thing of the past. If a person shows that negligence was caused by a doctor, the most they can collect is $250.000. The doctors do not mind having doctors conventions, so why not start a trust that every doctor puts amount in yearly. Through this trust the suit can be paid out of this, eliminating the Insurance companies. If the doctor is shown to be negligent, he/she would have double payment to the trust and if it is malice on the doctor's part he has to pay back the amount and lose his/her license. The trust would be governed by a Medical Board of commissioners, not the banks. If a jury found for the patient, then then the payment would be issued be the court and the Medical board Commissioners .The patient would be intitled to $150.000 non taxable dollars, and the other $100.000 would go on the card. 3. A person can use any doctor of His/her choice and hospital because all the fees, and rates would be the same in each state. 3. A inmate and convicted felon will also be intitled to a card, but with limitations. from the savings of the healthcare, each person would be given $20.000. Each year if the person does not use the card, or lthere is a balance on the card {Example-$20.000,was used and that leaves a balance or $80.000, then it would roll over }. what each person does not use will be used for their golden years when it adds up. Nursing homes will be kept in top shape if a love one has to go into one. Elderly people over 70 years of age would be treated with the upmost respect. All the years that they gave the government, the government can return the deed, by having decent impeccable nursing homes. This would be the money on the card that was not used. If a person dies before 70, and there is a balance on the card, then the card is destroyed, and the money is established to another. If the money is used up at the time of that person's death, then the balance would be paid through the a medicaid program, but with the money recycling itself, it would be hard to see a empty balance. The cycle would continue, but unless the drug companies, and the medical field,and governent come together, we will not have a healthcare problem, but i think this was we can continue to be a capitalist country. I remember going to a small town doctor, and with her visit, it all cost $20.00.{The visit and medicine}. Obama is telling the country to live on less then what We have become use. I believe less in more.I have seen the rich never to be satisfied, and i have seen the poor{which use to be middle class} be very content. More is having healthy bodies, with check up regularly. We need doctors, and specialist, but the government could easily have remedied this problem. As crazy as some of the ideas are, at least i am putting them out there. we pay people lots of dollars to say socialized Medicine is the answer. If the s Government,The Medical, Insurance companies, banks, and other what not's could stop lobbying for this and that and work at what is important, then we might find a solution. The government has wasted more taxpayers money then we would ever have seen in a lifetime. This would have worked, because we would have had the money.I have always heard that if you take care of one of the biggest problems the sloutions to the rest will follow. Some of the hardest problems has the easiest solutions.

[debbiefairlady]

This idea came to me today, and i added what would be a great idea for health care. As much as our government has given out to the Banks and AIG, and the Car Manufacturers, the government could have paid every one,s medical bills. Instead of the social medicine that Obama wants to do, i wonder if this would work. 1.give a card to each person with the amount of $100.000. This card would be used for everything except the common cold, otherwise that would come out of a person pocket. Check-ups would be a great preventive}. If a person is totally disabled then a trust would be set up with the expense that he/she would have. If a person is paying for insurance then What is not used on the card is carried over the following year. The Insurance would be paying the balance it would be Secondary 2. Any illegal immigrant that wants medical treatment, including children that are not born in the United States { parents } have to have full name, Address{not a post office box},date of birth, where they were born{what country, then they have to be fingerprinted}, until they become a legal United states citizens. If the immigrant moves to another state, and tries to get another card, his/her name address,country, and date of birth ,fingerprint, and photo would be on file with the FBI. Therefore making it impossible to get another card. Before a card would be issued a picture and fingerprint would be ran through the bureau {FBI }. Legal, and illegal would have picture I.D. on the card{no difference when A doctor 's receptionist takes a picture while waiting to see the doctor. . The illegal immigrants would be given 2 years to earn their citizenship, or they will be required to pay back the money and leave the Country {even their children} As harsh as this sounds it would protect the hardworking taxpayers. As free as this country is, it was not free by no means. Freedom comes with a price, it always did. A set fee would be established for the Medical field that is within reason. Hospitals would also have a rate. { when tylenol cost as much as a whole bottle there is a problem}.Remember there was a time when a doctor, or surgeons was paid very little. Ambulance chasers become a thing of the past. If a person shows that negligence was caused by a doctor, the most they can collect is $250.000. The doctors do not mind having doctors conventions, so why not start a trust that every doctor puts amount in yearly. Through this trust the suit can be paid out of this, eliminating the Insurance companies. If the doctor is shown to be negligent, he/she would have double payment to the trust and if it is malice on the doctor's part he has to pay back the amount and lose his/her license. The trust would be governed by a Medical Board of commissioners, not the banks. If a jury found for the patient, then then the payment would be issued be the court and the Medical board Commissioners .The patient would be intitled to $150.000 non taxable dollars, and the other $100.000 would go on the card. 3. A person can use any doctor of His/her choice and hospital because all the fees, and rates would be the same in each state. 3. A inmate and convicted felon will also be intitled to a card, but with limitations. from the savings of the healthcare, each person would be given $20.000. Each year if the person does not use the card, or lthere is a balance on the card {Example-$20.000,was used and that leaves a balance or $80.000, then it would roll over }. what each person does not use will be used for their golden years when it adds up. Nursing homes will be kept in top shape if a love one has to go into one. Elderly people over 70 years of age would be treated with the upmost respect. All the years that they gave the government, the government can return the deed, by having decent impeccable nursing homes. This would be the money on the card that was not used. If a person dies before 70, and there is a balance on the card, then the card is destroyed, and the money is established to another. If the money is used up at the time of that person's death, then the balance would be paid through the a medicaid program, but with the money recycling itself, it would be hard to see a empty balance. The cycle would continue, but unless the drug companies, and the medical field,and governent come together, we will not have a healthcare problem, but i think this was we can continue to be a capitalist country. I remember going to a small town doctor, and with her visit, it all cost $20.00.{The visit and medicine}. Obama is telling the country to live on less then what We have become use. I believe less in more.I have seen the rich never to be satisfied, and i have seen the poor{which use to be middle class} be very content. More is having healthy bodies, with check up regularly. We need doctors, and specialist, but the government could easily have remedied this problem. As crazy as some of the ideas are, at least i am putting them out there. we pay people lots of dollars to say socialized Medicine is the answer. If the Government,The Medical, Insurance companies, banks, and other what not's could stop lobbying for this and that and work at what is important, then we might find a solution. The government has wasted more taxpayers money then we would ever have seen in a lifetime. This would have worked, because we would have had the money.I have always heard that if you take care of one of the biggest problems the solution to the rest will follow. Some of the hardest problems has the easiest solutions. I needed to add that the amount of money that is won from a suit against a doctor, Part of the money would be placed on the card, and if that person passes away then that money was not used, or just some of it was used then it would not go into the system, but would be given to the spouse, or children. There would not be any inheritance tax. I know it is out in left field, but so is our government.

[Debbie.Jeff]

I'll bet your brother is not an ambulance chaser like John Edwards. I'd bet he would give a different answer.

My brother is a Corporate Trial Attorney.

I do have a couple of "ambulance" attorneys. Their purpose is to protect children from harmful cases. It is the "stupid" laws created by the Congress that they're fighting. It'd take too long for me to explain on their behalf but it is fair for me to say that they'd happily take a capped lawsuits if the Congress correct their stupid laws. It'd save them lots of time and money.....