Try to Reform Health Care

The Senate Republican's unveiled their caucus's plan on health care, which is largely the same as they had last year, and thus my criticism of that plan still holds. With the exception of creating a state high-risk pool, most of their proposals are measures to fill in the gaps, addressing the "uninsured" rather than fixing the problems with health care. Furthermore, except for a new proposal that will end "predatory pricing laws" (reducing the cost of many prescription drugs), they call on more of a role for government in health care, rather than less. They also fail to address much-needed Medicaid reform, or even fraud and waste in the system.

Contrast that with the recommendations offered in our PolicyPoints on health care, or the recently released State Legislators' Guide to Health Insurance Solutions from CAHI. These include recommendation that cost little or nothing, but would reduce the cost of care for individuals and families, like

• Reducing mandates (rather than more, like the slacker mandate) or offering mandate-lite insurance
• Equalizing the tax code for those who don't receive health coverage from their employer
• List billing
• Allowing PA residents to buy insurance from other states

Now is the time to truly reform our system of health care, not just add a few more government programs.