Healthcare Reform Analysis
September 2, 2009
In the current political climate, NETWORK is working for healthcare for all that builds on systems that are currently in place, including Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP and private insurance.
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All people should have access to quality, affordable healthcare. There must be adequate supports for those who are unable to pay for health insurance either through an expansion of Medicaid or through subsidies for private insurance premiums.
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Our healthcare system should limit patient out-of-pocket costs (premiums, deductibles and co-pays) and have no financial cap on benefits.
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People with pre-existing medical conditions should not be excluded from affordable healthcare, and insurance companies must not drop coverage because someone becomes ill.
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Immigrants in our country also have a right to healthcare and affordable coverage.
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Healthcare needs to be “portable.” This means that it should not be limited to one employer or one state and should travel with individuals as they move around our country.
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Quality healthcare for everyone is needed in our country.
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Medical services need to be integrated into a holistic system that has the patient at the center of concern. This will provide coordination of services and integration of care.
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Physicians need to be encouraged to work in primary care practices through funding and other incentives in order to have a “medical home” for all patients.
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We must have systemic cost controls for individuals, families, businesses and government.
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The funding for healthcare needs to be based on the actual health needs of an individual and not the number of services that a medical staff can provide.
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Medical procedures must be based on best practices and quality medicine, and not a profit motive.
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Federal regulation of the insurance industry is required in order to limit the cost of administration to a small percentage of the total cost for the provision of healthcare. (Medicare administrative cost is between 4 and 5%.) If it is not possible to adequately regulate the insurance industry at the federal level, then a “public option” or “Medicare for all who want it” is the alternative for controlling costs through competition.
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Everyone is responsible for making our health system work.
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Individuals have a responsibility to proactively care for their health.
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Individuals, business and government all share a responsibility for financing the system and working to control costs. Small businesses as well as low income people will need some supports in order to do their part to obtain insurance.
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Hospitals and other medical facilities need to participate in comprehensive regional planning in order to avoid duplication of high capital costs while providing quality service to people in every region of our country.
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Funding mechanisms need to be fair and equitable based on income and capacity of the payor. One way of funding healthcare reform is by extending the Medicare tax to cover unearned income. Currently, a 1.45% tax is paid by employees; however this tax is not applied to investment income. This tax could be made more progressive by increasing the rate on higher income families and including investment income.
WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE AGREEMENT:
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All people should be required to have healthcare coverage. There must be adequate supports for those who are unable to pay for affordable health insurance. (The mechanisms for and amounts of the financial supports are in question.)
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Patient out-of-pocket costs (premiums, deductibles and co-pays) should be limited and there should be no cap on benefits.
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People with pre-existing medical conditions should not be excluded from affordable healthcare and insurance companies must not drop coverage because someone becomes ill.
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Healthcare needs to be “portable” but the extent of portability and the funding mechanism for this aspect are in question.
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Physicians need to be encouraged to work in primary care practices through funding and other incentives in order to have a “medical home” for all patients.
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Medical procedures should be based on best practices and quality medicine, and not a profit motive.
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Individuals have a responsibility to proactively care for their health.
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Individuals, business and government all share a responsibility for financing the system and working to control costs. Small businesses as well as low income people will need some supports in order to do their part to obtain insurance. (The level and mechanisms for financial support are in dispute.)
WHERE THERE IS DISAGREEMENT:
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Immigrants in our country also have a right to healthcare and affordable coverage.
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Care should focus on the actual health needs of an individual and not the number of services that a medical staff can provide.
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Federal regulation of the insurance industry should limit the cost of administration to a small percentage of the cost for the provision of healthcare. (Medicare administrative cost is between 4 and 5%.) If it is not possible to adequately regulate the insurance industry at the federal level, then a “public option” or “Medicare for all who want it” is the alternative for controlling costs through competition.
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The level and mechanisms for financial support of both individuals and small business are in dispute.
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Congress is hotly debating the various funding mechanisms for any healthcare reform.
WHERE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION:
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Medical services need to be integrated into a holistic system that has the patient at the center of concern. This will provide coordination of services and integration of care.
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Hospitals and other medical facilities need to participate in comprehensive regional planning in order to avoid duplication of high capital costs while providing quality service to people in every region of our country.
For more information about healthcare reform from a faith perspective:
Our issue page on healthcare access
Questions to ask about current proposals
NETWORK's Connection issue on healthcare
Faithful Reform in Health Care statement
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